According to the DRC elections body, CENI, 64,196 polling stations opened out of the 75,478 planned

The results of the presidential election published Sunday afternoon by the CENI firstly reveal the significant gap between the different candidates.

With 73%, Félix Tshisekedi is far ahead of his direct rival Moïse Katumbi, who reaches 18%. These two candidates stand out as the only ones to exceed the one million vote mark. 

Félix Tshisekedi is in the lead with more than 13 million 200 thousand votes, followed by the former governor of Katanga with 3 million 200 thousand votes. In third position, Martin Fayulu received just over 960,000 votes, representing 5%. The other figure concerns Nobel Prize winner Denis Mukwege. According to CENI figures, it totaled only 0.22%.

In another chapter, before the publication of these provisional results, the question of the exact number of polling stations open came up frequently. Catholics, Protestants and opponents asked this question. Last night, the CENI provided a response. According to her, 64,196 polling stations opened out of the 75,478 planned. In other words, 11,282 polling stations did not open for various reasons.

Challenges to provisional results must be filed with the Constitutional Court within two days. 

Clearly, those who wish to contest these results have January 2 and 3 to do so. The Constitutional Court will have a period of between January 5 and 11 to process these appeals.

Meanwhile messages of congratulations are starting to fall following the re-election of President Félix Tshisekedi at the head of the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), according to provisional results published this Sunday, December 31. South African President Matamela Cyril Ramaphosa sent his warm congratulations today, highlighting the mature, calm and united character demonstrated by the Congolese people during the synchronized general elections of December 20, 2023.

“The Congolese have taken a solid step towards consolidating democracy in their country, expressing their desire for a peaceful, secure and prosperous future,” President Ramaphosa said. He called for serenity in the event of a challenge to the results, urging all parties to follow the legal channels defined by the Congolese constitution.

Still on the South African side, Fikile Mbalula, secretary general of the ANC party, congratulated Tshisekedi on his landslide victory, emphasizing the dynamic nature of the electoral process.

Burundian President Evariste Ndayishimiye also sent his congratulations to his counterpart Félix Antoine Tshisekedi, expressing the hope of a peaceful resolution in the event of an electoral dispute through legal channels. Likewise, Azali Assoumani, president of the Comoros, officially welcomed Tshisekedi’s victory, congratulating the president-elect for his 73% of votes.

Marine Le Pen, president of the National Rally in France, expressed her congratulations to Tshisekedi and sent wishes for peace to the Congolese people, highlighting the difficult situation in the Kivu region. She called for France’s solidarity with its “great friendly and French-speaking country”.