Democratic Republic of Congo Defends Against Foreign Intervention in Presidential Elections

FROM EIR DAILY ALERT

Democratic Republic of Congo Defends Against Foreign Intervention in Presidential Elections

Jan. 3, 2018 (EIRNS)—The Democratic Republic of Congo held Presidential and general elections on Sunday, Dec. 30. Current President Joseph Kabila was put in place in 2001 by foreign interests, and now those same forces want to plunge the country into chaos to prevent the D.R. Congo, a strategically important African country, from being involved in the Belt and Road momentum.

The D.R. Congo is key for the Transaqua project to replenish Lake Chad, as a large section of the waterway to Lake Chad will go through Congo’s highland, crossing the Congo River tributaries and building up to 20 dams and hydroelectric plants in the D.R. Congo alone.

Even while the vote is being counted, foreign interference has been massive. Last week the government expelled the EU ambassador, and this week it shut down Radio France International, the main francophone radio network in the country. The credentials of RFI’s main correspondent were also revoked. The Congo government has also suspended Internet and SMS messaging, in order to prevent the spreading of false vote results that could feed unrest.

While Reuters and trans-Atlantic media in general rant about election chaos and voter intimidation, the Southern African Development Community (SADC) Elector Observation Mission, headed by Zambian Foreign Minister Joseph Malanji, declared on Jan. 2 that

“the 2018 Presidential, Legislative and Provincial Elections were comparatively well managed and the voting process proceeded relatively smoothly, enabling the majority of the people of the D.R.C. to exercise their right to vote. On this note, Hon. Malanji commended the people of the D.R.C. for turning out in their large numbers to exercise their right to vote.”

Similarly, the African Union observer mission, headed by former Mali President Dioncounda Traoré, in its statement in French yesterday, congratulated the Congolese people for a major victory in holding the elections.

“The Congolese people, who were able, by means of their conscience, patience and fierce determination to finally leave behind the infernal spiral of violence and killings, gratified us with elections that generally took place in a peaceful and quiet atmosphere, despite interference and organizational, political and security challenges.”