Opposition candidate in Congo alleges police fired bullets as protesters search redo of election

KINSHASA, Congo — A fundamental opposition candidate in Congo accused police of utilizing reside bullets to interrupt up a protest Wednesday within the capital, as demonstrators demanded a re-do of final week’s presidential election.

Holding up a bullet, Martin Fayulu instructed The Associated Press that it landed close to him whereas he was barricaded inside his headquarters throughout a standoff with police. His declare couldn’t be verified.

Police mentioned no reside bullets have been used, solely tear fuel, and that they have been restoring order. AP journalists noticed police bodily assaulting a few of the protesters.

Fayulu is certainly one of 5 opposition candidates who referred to as the protest.

Some rights teams and worldwide observers even have questioned the vote and alleged it was prolonged illegally. Many polling stations have been late in beginning, and a few didn’t open in any respect. Some lacked supplies, and lots of voter playing cards have been illegible because the ink had smudged.

In some components of Congo, individuals have been nonetheless voting 5 days after the election.

“I feel bad this is not a country anymore,” Fayulu mentioned, including that Congolese is not going to settle for it if President Felix Tshisekedi is asserted the winner of one other time period. If there isn’t a revote, the demonstrations will proceed, Fayulu mentioned.

As of Tuesday night, Tshisekedi had practically 79% of the vote, opposition chief and businessman Moise Katumbi had about 14% and Fayulu had about 4% of some 6 million counted votes. The last outcomes are anticipated earlier than the brand new yr.

Tshisekedi has spent a lot of his time in workplace attempting to realize legitimacy after a disputed 2018 election, the place some observers mentioned Fayulu was the rightful winner. Some 44 million individuals – virtually half the inhabitants – had been anticipated to vote on this yr’s contest.

The electoral statement mission of the National Episcopal Conference of Congo and the Church of Christ in Congo mentioned greater than 27% of voting stations didn’t open and there have been 152 experiences of violence, confrontations or brawls. That’s primarily based on a sampling of 1,185 observer experiences.

At least 100 demonstrators gathered round Fayulu’s headquarters on Wednesday throwing rocks and burning tires. Some barricaded themselves inside as police fired tear fuel and rubber bullets. Some officers stormed the headquarters.

“We don’t agree with these elections that just happened. We the people want peace in the country, that’s why we are asking that the elections be credible, transparent and peaceful,” mentioned one protester, Christian Lampa.

The demonstrators hoped to march to the election fee, however the authorities on Tuesday banned the protest.

Fayulu’s assistant, Prince Epenge, confirmed a bloodstained flooring within the headquarters and asserted that 11 individuals had been injured and brought to a hospital. That couldn’t instantly be confirmed.

Rights teams warned that extra protests may come.

“If (the election commission) decides to continue, it will plunge the country into total chaos, and the people will not let their rights be trampled underfoot by a group of power hungry individuals,” mentioned Crispin Tshiya, an activist with native rights group LUCHA.

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Jean-Yves Kamale in Kinshasa contributed.