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This article was found at the online version of afrol News. The URL and reference to the article is http://www.afrol.com/articles/22807 |
Politics
Election chaos heightens in Congo Kinshasa
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Kinshasa Supreme Court set ablaze by Bemba supporters |
| © Birgit Gorbach/Monuc/afrol News |
Before the outbreak of the fire, irate supporters of Mr Bemba were close to the Supreme Court that is supposed to hear their candidate's election appeal. Mr Bemba scored 41.95 percent of the votes against Mr Kabila's 58.05 percent, but he refused to concede defeat and therefore challenged the results in the court, which has only seven days to consider the claims. The Court was forced to abandon the hearings that had just started.
The election was the first of its kind in the country's forty-five-year history, which was punctuated with wars, gross violation of rights, corruption and dictatorship rule.
At 12 noon, witnesses at the scene saw black smoke looming out of the court building and the fire fighters - which include the United Mission in the country - arrived in time to lend support to the Congolese fire brigade, which ran out of water.
Violent demonstrators headed for Mr Bemba's residence where gunfire occurred during which some people attempted to loot the Supreme Court offices as well as set the court building on fire.
The presence of the UN troops, who fired warning shots, doused the tension. UN forces controlled the area an hour later.
"We have redeployed our troops. An armoured company of around 150 'blue berets' has been sent to the place," spokesman Kemal Sekai of the mission known as MONUC told the French news agency, 'AFP'.
Mr Bemba's supporters had earlier on burnt two police cars after they clashed with riot police that were using tear gas to tame them.
The Kinshasa police came under fire from the troops in Mr Bemba's guard who were close to the Supreme Court premises but there were no casualties immediately reported.
The court was said to be in public session, holding a hearing into the election contestations of Mr Bemba, when the violent demonstration took place, leaving the presiding judge, Justice Kalonda Kele, with no option other than adjourning the proceedings.
The Congolese elections have been marred by a series of deadly violence involving supporters of Mr Kabila and Mr Bemba. This development worried the international community, especially the UN, which sent its biggest mission to contain any possible violence during or after the election.
Despite both candidates signed to maintain peace in the interest of development and reconciliation, violence still persists.
Also, UN officers called on all political actors in the country to refrain from any provocation, incitement to hatred or recourse to violence. UN officials described the Congo elections as the largest and most complex the world body has ever helped to organise. It has been seen as the last hope for bring peace, unity and development to a country that is opulent in natural resources.
The Congolese first voted in July but none of the candidates polled 50 percent of the first round. Transition President Kabila and ex-rebel leader and Vice-President Bemba were the only qualified candidates to battle in the 29 October second poll round.
By staff writer
© afrol News
This article was found at the online version of afrol News: www.afrol.com
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