Gunmen Attack Poll Station in Southern DRC

Posted November 28th, 2011 at 9:45 am (UTC-5)
Leave a comment

Gunmen have attacked a poll station in the southern Democratic Republic of Congo, killing at least two people and burning some ballot boxes.

The attack occurred in the city of Lubumbashi Monday as Congolese voters cast ballots in presidential and legislative elections, only the second multi-party polls since independence.

A local journalist tells VOA that about 10 men attacked a polling station in the Belair section of Lubumbashi late in the morning. The source says the gunmen killed two policemen, set fire to the ballots, then fled.

Earlier Monday, police in Lubumbashi said gunmen attacked and set fire to two election vehicles. And at least three other people were reported killed in the days leading up to the elections, after a tense campaign.

President Joseph Kabila is running for re-election against 10 opposition candidates.

Ahead of the vote, the U.S., European Union and United Nations all expressed concern about election-related violence in Congo.

At least one opposition candidate has said vote tampering is under way favoring the incumbent. The head of the country's electoral commission said Sunday there was no evidence of fraud.

This is only the second multi-party poll since the large central African nation was torn apart by two wars following independence. The last war ended in 2003.

A new voting system eliminates presidential run-offs, meaning the presidential candidate with the most votes in the first round wins the election. Results are expected by December 5, the day before Mr. Kabila's current term ends.

President Kabila has been in power since 2001, when he assumed the presidency after the assassination of his father, Laurent Kabila. He won a presidential vote in 2006.

His strongest challenger, long-time opposition leader Etienne Tshisekedi, backed down from plans to hold a rally Sunday in the capital, Kinshasa, in defiance of a ban on campaigning the day before the election. His advisers said they feared for his safety.

On Saturday, Congolese police blocked Mr. Tshisekedi and his supporters from leaving the airport for several hours. They fired bullets and tear gas, killing three and wounding several more.

More than 18,000 candidates are vying for 500 seats in the general assembly.