Shortly before the presidential and parliamentary elections in the Democratic Republic of the Congo, UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres called on all parties involved to facilitate a peaceful and non-violent ballot. Guterres yesterday called on the authorities, politicians, election commission staff and civil society in Congo to ensure a non-violent environment so that all voters can vote.
Everyone involved would have to renounce provocations and show „maximum restraint in word and deed“, warned Guterres. The election tomorrow will determine a successor to President Joseph Kabila.
Partly bloody riots
There have been tensions in the Congo for years because Kabila, who has been in office since 2001, was not assigned as planned at the end of 2016. It was followed by some bloody riots, the presidential election had to be postponed three times.
