Congolese envoy assures country will hold elections
Friday June 29 2018
A Congolese envoy has assured that her country will conduct elections on December 23 as planned.
Newly-appointed Democratic Republic of Congo's ambassador to Zambia, Ms Chantal Kanjimaloba, made the remarks in Lusaka when she presented her credentials to President Edgar Lungu on Friday.
“We're committed to organising the elections as drawn up by our electoral commission," Ms Kanjimaloba said.
"DRC will be grateful for any support to the electoral process," she added.
The Congolese government has said President Joseph Kabila will not be seeking re-election because of constitutional term limits that prevent him from running again.
The mineral rich country has never had a peaceful transfer of power.
Mr Kabila succeeded his father Laurent after he was assassinated in 2001.
His two terms ended in 2016 when he should have stepped down but a constitutional clause has allowed him to stay on until a successor is elected.
Tensions over his future have fuelled protests that lead to a security crackdown that has claimed dozens of lives.