/ 1 December 2011

Kabila camp threatens to smash DRC rival’s ‘insurrection’

Kabila Camp Threatens To Smash Drc Rival's 'insurrection'

A top ally of Democratic Republic of the Congo’s President Joseph Kabila accused the party of his main rival of post-election “insurrection” on Wednesday, and vowed any infractions would be firmly dealt with.

Two days after elections marred by deadly violence and reports of fraud began, Presidential Majority secretary-general Aubin Minaku accused opposition leader Etienne Tshisekedi’s UDPS party of “insurrectionist schemes”.

Violence and fraud seemed to be the order of the day as Congolese voters took to the polls on Monday in only their second democratic election since 1960.

“We’re in the last phase of the insurrectionist schemes of the UDPS,” Minaku said.

“The state will exercise its prerogatives in a firm manner” if there is any unrest, he added.

“Whoever commits an infraction, even if it’s Etienne Tshisekedi, will have to face the force of the law, that’s what we will see in the coming days.”

Monday’s polls were marred by allegations of fraud, chaos at many voting centres and apparent separatist attacks that killed at least 10 people. Four opposition presidential candidates have called for the elections to be annulled, alleging pro-Kabila fraud — though Tshisekedi has not joined the call.

Minaku levelled his own accusations against the UDPS Wednesday.

“We have proof that [electoral officials] have been assaulted” by UDPS supporters during the elections, he claimed.

Preliminary results from the presidential race were not expected until December 6, leaving the Democratic Republic of Congo with a tense week of waiting as results trickle in from around the vast country two-thirds the size of Western Europe. — Sapa-AFP