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Several Wounded as DR Congo Police Break Up Banned Election Protest

by Reuters

   Kinshasa, congo --

   Several people were wounded in the Democratic Republic of Congo's
   capital on Wednesday as riot police forcibly dispersed a banned protest
   by the opposition who are calling for a re-run of last week's chaotic
   national elections.

   The disputed vote threatens to further destabilize poverty-stricken
   Congo, which is already grappling with a security crisis in the east
   that has hampered development in the world's top producer of cobalt and
   other industrial minerals and metals.

   Police surrounded the headquarters of Martin Fayulu, one of five of
   President Felix Tshisekedi's challengers who had called on their
   supporters to march in Kinshasa on Wednesday against the presidential
   and legislative poll, which they say was fraudulent and should be
   annulled. Tshisekedi's administration has dismissed the claims.

   Tshisekedi "did not win the election, his victory is fraudulent," said
   one protester, who gave his name as Jean-Pierre.

   Opposition vows to proceed

   The opposition vowed to proceed even after the government banned the
   protest on Tuesday, saying it was intended to undermine the work of the
   national election commission (CENI) as it compiles results that for now
   give Tshisekedi a strong lead.

   Police fired tear gas and threw rocks at people outside and inside the
   headquarters, said a Reuters witness, who said that the people were
   also throwing rocks.

   Fayulu accused the security forces of heavy-handedness and said 11
   people had been injured.

   "You see how the police attacked us. Our program was simple: gather
   little by little and head to CENI headquarters," he told journalists.

   A Reuters reporter saw members of Fayulu's team carrying wounded people
   from the scene and taking them to hospital.

   Kinshasa police chief Blaise Kilimba Limba said two police officers had
   been injured by stones.

   Attempts to gather elsewhere in the city were rapidly thwarted amid the
   heavy security presence. Some protesters tried to block roads with
   burning tires before police intervened.

   Credibility concerns

   In a sign of tension elsewhere, supporters of a local candidate -- who
   appeared to be losing -- briefly blocked roads and disrupted traffic
   with burning tires in the eastern city of Butembo before dispersing.

   The unrest follows the December 20 vote, which was marred by delays
   delivering election kits, malfunctioning equipment, and disorganized
   voting lists. Violence also disrupted the poll in some places.

   The protest organizers have heavily criticized CENI's decision to
   extend voting at polling stations that failed to open on election day,
   calling it unconstitutional and grounds for a full re-run.

   Some independent observers have also said the extension undermines the
   credibility of the poll.

   CENI has acknowledged there were delays but denied that the legitimacy
   of the election was compromised by extending some voting.

   Its latest tally on Tuesday put Tshisekedi well ahead of his 18
   challengers, with almost 79% of around 6.1 million votes counted so
   far.

   Around 44 million were registered to vote, although the number of
   ballots cast remains unknown.