From: Judy Miriga

Folks,

Before things fall apart, all Parties and Presidential contestants should accept for a recount of the votes.

Sad to say that, Congo as a Nation has been given a raw deal over the years by world leaders since the heinous death of Lumumba. Congo has been neglected by leaders of the world because, the corrupt and unscrupulous International Corporate Special Interest Cartels are busy creating their wealth in the guess of “Free Trading” from “Intellectual Property Thieving”, sacking the blood of the innocent, killing and exterminating the poor and from plundering taking for free “Public Wealth” from illegal acts and unconstitutional invasion, where many Congolese have been evacuated and driven out of their homes by force………..

We are all aware there are vested interests, amassed to political correctness attitude who wield and control power at will, that continue to push Congolese into sorry-state-of-affair. It is about time this must stop immediately and people should act rightly and justly to save many innocent Congolese from perishing in the hands of these brutal Special Interest cartels who are after Mineral Wealth of Congolese………..who own illegal trading factories and use force to intimidate and marginalize the innocent poor.

It is too painful and extremely very sad that other human treat disadvantaged helpless people like animals driven to slaughter house, without due concern to Abuse, Violation and Crime Against Humanity……

Let us all honor common agreement that life is precious irrespective of class or position in life, that common Law to value and honor dignity of humanity transcends no global boundary and all must adhere to abide and own responsibility to such principles and face Law as it deems fit.

May God Bless us all……..

Judy Miriga
Diaspora Spokesperson
Executive Director
Confederation Council Foundation for Africa Inc.,
USA
http://socioeconomicforum50.blogspot.com

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DR Congo opposition leader issues “arrest warrant” against Kabila

The leader of the opposition Union for Democracy and Social Progress (UDPS), Etiene Tshisekedi has issued “an arrest warrant” against the country’s re-elected President Joseph Kabila.

“I have asked all the Congolese people to bring here Kabila when he is still alive, and whoever does that will be well rewarded,” Tshisekedi, who declared himself as the president of the Democratic Republic of Congo (DR Congo) on Sunday said.

He also declared that the government and the governors of the country’s 11 provinces had all resigned as from Sunday.

“From now on, ministerial departments will be led by secretary generals, the governors of the 11 provinces will be replaced by director generals and no governor should leave the country before handing over to his successor,” Tshisekedi said.

Tshisekedi announced that he will be sworn in before the Congolese people on Friday at the Martyrs stadium in Kinshasa, the capital and the stronghold of the UDPS.

The self-proclaimed president also appealed to the people to remain calm to enable investors to come and invest in DR Congo.

According to the final results announced by the Supreme Court on December 16, Kabila was re-elected with 48.95 percent of the votes cast in the November 28 polls, while Tshisekedi came in second with 32.33 percent.

Congo Court Upholds President’s Victory;
Opposition Candidate previously has rejected results

By Associated Press, Published: December 16
KINSHASA, Congo — Congo’s supreme court on Friday upheld President Joseph Kabila’s victory following a contested election, raising fears of more violence in sub-Saharan Africa’s largest nation because the main opposition candidate already has rejected the results showing he placed second.

The November election was only the second democratic vote in Congo’s 51-year history, and the first to be organized by the Congolese government rather than by the international community. Observers have expressed concern about irregularities, saying voter turnout results were impossibly high in some districts.

Kabila, Congo’s incumbent president, had faced 10 candidates, including Etienne Tshisekedi, a 79-year-old longtime opposition leader who is enormously popular with the country’s impoverished masses. Observers fear unrest if Tshisekedi orders his supporters to take to the streets. So far, Tshisekedi has called for calm, telling his supporters to await his instructions.

Another opposition candidate, Vital Kamerhe, had appealed to Congo’s supreme court to annul the presidential vote, but the court said late Friday that his complaint was groundless and lacked sufficient evidence. The decision was announced by Justice Jerome Kitoko, the court’s vice president.

Kabila first came to power after his father’s assassination and now has led the massive, mineral-rich Central African nation for a decade. Results released one week ago showed he had 49 percent of the vote, and Tshisekedi had 32 percent of the nearly 19 million votes cast.

Just 24 hours after those results were published, U.S. observers from the Atlanta-based Carter Center founded by former President Jimmy Carter issued a statement saying the vote lacked credibility.

David Pottie, one of the senior observers with the Carter Center, said it was impossible to have 100 percent voter turnout in a region where less than 2 percent of the roads are paved, and equally improbable for all the votes to go to Kabila, when there were 11 candidates on the ballot.

Country experts and opposition leaders originally had urged the government to delay the vote due to massive logistical problems. Instead, the poll went ahead although it was extended by several days so that more voters could cast ballots.

Congo sprawls across an area the size of Western Europe in the heart of Africa and neighbors nine other countries. Some districts of Congo, which suffered decades of dictatorship and two civil wars, are so remote that ballot boxes had to be transported across muddy trails on the heads of porters, and by dugout canoe across churning rivers.

The election took place amid significant unrest in Congo’s east, where dozens of militia groups and rebels continue to terrorize people. Government soldiers and rebels have brutally raped women, men and children, and burned down villages. Hundreds of thousands of people have been forced to flee their homes because of violence.

The fighting is fueled by the competition to control mines, many operated by soldiers, rebels and militiamen who use the minerals to fund their armed groups.

Copyright 2011 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.

Congo opposition parties plan “ghost towns”
By Jonny Hogg | Reuters – 8 hrs ago

KINSHASA (Reuters) – Congo’s opposition plans to turn the sprawling capital Kinshasa and other cities across the country into “ghost towns” in a show of force after the country’s highest court confirmed President Joseph Kabila as winner of a disputed November 28 election.

A spokesman for the opposition said on Saturday it will ask Kinshasa’s 8 million residents to stay at home, joining people across the vast Central African nation in shutting down businesses and bringing public services to a standstill.

Democratic Republic of Congo’s Supreme Court in a ruling on Friday, said Kabila won the November 28 election, rejecting opposition demands for the vote to be annulled over fraud allegations.

The court said the opposition had failed to prove the vote was rigged.

The Secretary General for opposition leader Etienne Tshisekedi’s UDPS party said Congo’s opposition parties will meet early next week, to issue to call.

“On Monday there will be a massive meeting of all opposition parties in Kinshasa, and on Tuesday we are calling for ‘ghost towns’,” said Jacquemain Shabani Lukoo.

Kabila is expected to be sworn into office on Tuesday December 20, according to Kikaya Bin Karubi, Congo’s ambassador to Britain and a top official in Kabila’s camp.

“Several heads of state have already confirmed they are coming,” Karubi said.

CRISIS RISK

Kinshasa, was calm on Saturday as people went about their businesses, while busloads of Kabila supporters shuttled around town, celebrating his victory.

Congo’s second post-war vote was expected to set the mineral-rich nation, more than half the size of the European Union, on the path to recovery and spur further investments in its resources.

But the disputed election risks plunging it into a prolonged crisis.

Government spokesman Lambert Mende, said the opposition was free to protest as long as they do not disturb other people or break the law.

“We are in a democratic country. If they want to demonstrate every day, they are free to do so but they must work with local authorities,” Mende told Reuters by telephone on Saturday.

Observers said the vote, long hampered by organizational hurdles before it was held on November 28, was marred by violence and other irregularities and the results lacked credibility.

Two U.S. senators on the foreign relations subcommittee on African Affairs said in a statement it was troubling for the Supreme Court to declare Kabila as winner without a transparent review of the election results despite irregularities.

“We are increasingly concerned that the election irregularities are a setback for already weak systems of governance in Congo, and may further destabilize the DRC and lead to an escalation of violence,” Senators Chris Coons and Johnny Isakson said in a joint statement.

Congo supreme court upholds Joseph Kabila’s election victory
More violence feared after appeal by opposition candidate against incumbent president’s victory rejected by court

guardian.co.uk, Friday 16 December 2011 19.45 EST

Supporters of Joseph Kabila are seen celebrating through a banner with his image after provisional election results were announced on 9 December. Congo’s supreme court has since upheld the incumbent president’s victory. Photograph: Stringer/Reuters

Congo’s supreme court has upheld President Joseph Kabila’s victory following a contested election, raising fears of more violence in sub-Saharan Africa’s largest nation because the main opposition candidate has already rejected the results.

The November election was only the second democratic vote in Congo’s 51-year history, and the first to be organised by the Congolese government rather than by the international community. Observers have expressed concern about irregularities, saying voter turnout results were impossibly high in some districts.

Kabila, Congo’s incumbent president, faced 10 candidates, including Etienne Tshisekedi, a 79-year-old longtime opposition leader who is enormously popular with the country’s impoverished masses. Observers fear unrest if Tshisekedi orders his supporters to take to the streets. So far, Tshisekedi has called for calm, telling his supporters to await his instructions.

Another opposition candidate, Vital Kamerhe, appealed to Congo’s supreme court to annul the presidential vote, but the court said late on Friday that his complaint was groundless and lacked sufficient evidence. The decision was announced by Justice Jerome Kitoko, the court’s vice president.

Kabila first came to power after his father’s assassination and has now led the massive, mineral-rich central African nation for a decade. Results released one week ago showed he had 49% of the vote, and Tshisekedi had 32% of the nearly 19m votes cast.

Just 24 hours after those results were published, US observers from the Atlanta-based Carter Center – founded by former president Jimmy Carter – issued a statement saying the vote lacked credibility.

David Pottie, one of the senior observers with the Carter Center, said it was impossible to have 100% voter turnout in a region where less than 2% of the roads are paved, and equally improbable for all the votes to go to Kabila, when there were 11 candidates on the ballot.

Congo experts and opposition leaders had originally urged the government to delay the vote due to massive logistical problems. Instead, the poll went ahead, although it was extended by several days so that more voters could cast ballots.

Congo sprawls across an area the size of western Europe in the heart of Africa and neighbours nine other countries. Some districts of Congo, which suffered decades of dictatorship and two civil wars, are so remote that ballot boxes had to be transported across muddy trails on the heads of porters, and by dugout canoe across churning rivers.

The election took place amid significant unrest in Congo’s east, where dozens of militia groups and rebels are active. Government soldiers and rebels have raped women, men and children, and burned down villages. Hundreds of thousands of people have been forced to flee their homes because of violence.

The fighting is fuelled by the competition to control mines, many operated by soldiers, rebels and militiamen, who use the minerals to fund their armed groups.