The runner up in the Democratic Republic of Congo’s presidential election Martin Fayulu on Friday pledged to launch a formal fraud complaint over the result.
Fayulu came second in the vote won by Felix Tshisekedi, who pollsters did not project would claim victory.
Fears are rife that Fayulu’s complaint will spark violence in the country, where millions have died in civil wars since the 1990s.
“We know that the Constitutional Court is composed by Kabila’s people, but we do not want to give any chance to Kabila and his team to say…you didn’t follow the law. We want to do all that we can do to have the clean result,” Fayulu said.
The DR Congo vote came two years later than scheduled, as the electoral commission said in November 2016 it was unable to conduct the poll due to logistical challenges.
The failure to hold the election then prompted accusations from the opposition that President Joseph Kabila was frustrating the process as a way of clinging on to power, allegations he denied.
If the country goes on to swear in a new president, this would be the first time it witnesses a peaceful transfer of power since independence.
Under the law, Fayulu has 48 hours to contest the result of the presidential election.
