DR Congo Catholic church warns of election uprising

The Catholic church in Democratic Republic of Congo is warning the country’s electoral commission that publishing untrue results of the presidential election could lead to a popular “uprising”.

The church’s letter to the electoral commission’s president comes a day before the expected announcement of the first, partial results of the December 30 election. The international community has urged DRC to release accurate results.

The church, a powerful voice in the heavily Catholic nation, earlier said its data show a clear winner. The church deployed some 40 000 electoral observers in all polling centers, but Congolese regulations say only the electoral commission can announce election results.

The commission on Friday said the church’s announcement could incite an “uprising.”

DRC’s ruling party, which backs candidate Emmanuel Ramazani Shadary, called the church’s attitude “irresponsible and anarchist.” Leading opposition candidate Martin Fayulu has not commented.