May DR Congo rise!

The outcome of the elections to replace Mr Joseph Kabila as President of the Democratic Republic of Congo were finally released this week, returning a shock winner in Felix Tshisekedi. The winner who was declared was not often listed among the frontrunners, and there have already been accusing fingers pointed at the establishment for allegedly fixing the election.

Mr Kabila’s handpicked successor Emmanuel Ramazani Shadary came third, with Martin Fayulu, the opposition candidate, who many thought would scoop the coveted seat, coming a close second and dubbing the result “an electoral coup”.
The waters still remain murky, therefore, with Mr Tshisekedi, son of the deceased former Opposition leader for a long time, Etienne Tshisekedi, having his work cut out as far as asserting his authority and steadying the ship is concerned.

What has now emerged is that Mr Kabila is accused of having fixed the election in favour of Mr Tshisekedi, having realised that his preferred candidate would not win. Among those contesting the poll results are the influential Catholic Church, and also the French, which leaves considerable room for worry.
But, all things considered, DR Congo has perhaps got a fair deal out of the situation thus far. For starters, Mr Kabila had indicated that he intended to fiddle with the country’s constitution and continue in power. This move was defeated as the Catholic Church and other bodies and individuals rallied the Congolese to reject it.

Mr Kabila has dilly-dallied about holding the election for some length of time, eventually having to leave office about two years later than he was scheduled to vacate. Even then, however, if he leaves office without the country having to resort to full scale war as some had feared, that is a good start.
If the dust around the election can be made to settle and the president-elect is allowed to take up the mantle of leadership, it would then be said that Mr Kabila was eased out of power perhaps in the best way DR Congo could afford in the circumstances.

And then the hard work should begin. It has for long been said that DR Congo is one of the most resource-rich countries on earth, with a good share of almost all the important minerals. This resource endowment turned into a curse as powerful countries fought to control them, turning the Congolese people into paupers.
Many Congolese have had to flee their country as refugees, the economy has grown at a much slower rate than it could otherwise have done, condemning the Congolese people and citizens of neighbouring countries to war, poverty and other consequences. May DR Congo rise this time!