DRC: Elections scheduled in Beni, Butembo, and Yumbi March 31 /update 1

Event

National and provincial legislative elections are slated to take place in Beni, Butembo, and Yumbi on Sunday, March 31, following their postponement from the initially planned date of December 30, 2018, due to intercommunal violence and other security concerns. The planned vote comes amid heightened political tensions following the December 30 general elections.

Localized traffic disruptions and a heightened security presence are to be expected in urban areas and around polling stations ahead of and during the vote.

Context

DRC held long-awaited general elections on December 30, 2018, to choose a successor to President Joseph Kabila, who was ineligible to run for another term. There were numerous allegations of electoral fraud and voter intimidation and several people were killed in election-related violence. Felix Tshisekedi was declared the winner of the presidential elections with 38.57 percent of the vote and was followed in the vote tally by Martin Fayulu from the Lamuka opposition party, who won 34.83 percent. Fayulu has since denounced the results, claiming he won the presidential elections.

Advice

Individuals in the abovementioned areas of the DRC are advised to monitor the situation, avoid all public demonstrations due to the risk of violence and arrest, refrain from discussing political topics in public, and adhere to all instructions issued by their home government and local authorities.