The court rejected Congo Vice President Jean-Pierre Bemba’s protests that the vote was riddled with fraud. Bemba, who challenged Kabila for the top spot, is one of three vice presidents who have served with Kabila as part of a peace agreement that helped bring closure to six years of civil war that ravaged the country.
In an extraordinary move for this country, the court hearing was televised live. However, due to the lack of television accessibility in various parts of the country, many individuals just today were learning of the court’s decision.
The streets of the capital city – Kinshasa, a Bemba stronghold – remained calm, but the mood was both somber and anxious throughout the region, sources say. Increased numbers of government troops in the area further fuel the anxiety.
Following the recent runoff election, factions loyal to Kabila and Bemba engaged in violent conflict; however, Bemba has urged his followers not to fight.
The elections represent the first multi-party races since the country achieved independence in 1960. More than 1,000 international and 40,000 Congolese observers monitored the polls, while some 80,000 policemen, 17,600 United Nations troops, and 1,200 European Union soldiers assisted with security.
A run-off election became necessary after neither candidate garnered a majority vote in the first election that included numerous candidates. Kabila received 45 percent of that vote, with Bemba receiving 20 percent.
