Several people were injured in DR Congo’s capital city on Wednesday, as riot police roughly dispersed a proscribed protest by the opposition, who are clamouring for a re-run of the previous week’s disorderly national elections.
The disputed vote threatens to further sabotage poverty-stricken Congo, –a country already battling with a security crisis that has hindered development in the world’s top producer of cobalt and other industrial minerals and metals.
The opposition supporters had promised to proceed with the demonstration even after the government’s ban on Tuesday. The opposition had said that the protest was intended to undermine the work of the national election commission (CENI) as it had compiled results that had now given Tshisekedi a strong lead.
A witness had informed Reuters that policemen had fired tear gas and thrown rocks at people outside and inside the headquarters.
Martins Fayulu, one if Tshisekedi’s opposition hadaccused the security forces of heavy-handedness and had revealed that 11 people had been injured.
Attempts by the protesters to assemble elsewhere in the city were quickly thwarted amid the heavy security presence. Some of them attempted to block roads with burning tires before police officials intervened and halted further aftions.
The unrest is following the Dec. 20 vote, which was ruined by delays delivering election kits, malfunctioning equipment and chaotic voting lists. Violence had also ruined the poll in several places.
