DR Congo to swear in new president in a historic ceremony

The Democratic Republic of Congo is set to swear in Felix Tshisekedi as the next president at the Palace of the Nation on Thursday (today) at noon.

Mr Tshisekedi, 55, will take over from Joseph Kabila, 47, who has ruled the biggest sub-saharan African country for 18years.

This will mark DR Congo first ever historic peaceful handover of power after two years of unrest provoked by Kabila who refused to step down from the presidential office after reaching the constitutional limit on his term.

Joseph Kabila inherited the leadership office from his father, Laurent-Desire Kabila, at 29, after he was assassinated by one his bodyguard in January 2001.

The Independent National Electoral Commission of Congo declared Tshisekedi the winner of the elections with 38.5 percent of the votes casted with his closest rival Martin Fayulu closing in with 34.8 percent. Kabila’s favourite candidate Emmanuel Ramazani Shadary came third in the race.

Fayulu rejected the results saying he won with 60 percent while Tshisekedi garnered 18 percent.

READ: FELIX TSHISEKEDI DECLARED WINNER OF DISPUTED DRC PRESIDENTIAL ELECTION

However, the Constitutional Court upheld Tshisekedi win together with foreign support to curb spreading violence that have damaged the vast country.

Tshekedi’s first responsibility will be to appoint a prime minister from Kabila’s camp who hold a large number of majority in the parliament.

This comes a day after the US recognized the opposition leader as the next president of DR Congo.

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The African Union and European Union have already shown interest in working with Tshisekedi to “consolidate democracy and preserve peace, stability and security” in the country that has lived through two regional wars in 1996-97 and 1998-2003.

President Uhuru Kenyatta and Raila Odinga also congratulated the newly president elect after the court ruling saying that the people have spoken.

DR Congo gained its independence in 1960 from Belgium.