...formerly the Congo Free State, Belgian Congo, Zaire, and who knows what else, not to be confused with the Brazzaville Congo aka Republic of Congo, which is much smaller and much more (for Africa) stable. DRC gave the world Patrice Lumumba and Joseph Mobutu, followed by years of tedious civil war. Its principle industry seems to be the production of corpses. With a population of about 74 million it has lots of raw material...
's ruling coalition and opposition have both claimed victory in the country’s chaotic presidential vote, which is meant to choose a successor to President Joseph Kabila.
Vital Kamerhe, the campaign manager to opposition candidate Felix Tshisekedi, said on Monday that counting showed Tshisekedi and the other main opposition candidate Martin Fayulu neck and neck in the lead, both with over 40 percent of the vote. He said the ruling coalition candidate, Emmanuel Ramazani Shadary, who is backed by Kabila, had only about 13 percent.
This is while Nehemie Mwilanya, Kabila's chief of staff and a member of Shadary's campaign, told a news briefing that he was confident Shadary had won. "For us, victory is certain."
This comes as vote counting is underway in the DR Congo's long-delayed election. The first partial results are expected from the national electoral commission (CENI) on Tuesday.