Iran Press/ Africa: Polling stations in eastern Democratic Republic of Congo opened on Sunday for a presidential election that could lead to the country's first democratic transfer of power.
A Reuters witness in the eastern city of Goma said polls opened at 6am local time. Due to the time difference, voting is scheduled to start an hour later in western parts of the country. The last polls close at 5pm, although voting will continue for those still in line.
President Joseph Kabila, in power since his father's assassination in 2001, is not standing for re-election and will step down after the vote, Reuters reported.
Kabila's agreement to stick to constitutional term limits should represent progress for the mineral-rich central African country.
Kabila’s party, the People’s Party for Reconstruction and Democracy (PPRD), has designated former Interior Minister Emmanuel Ramazani Shadary, 58, as its presidential candidate.
?This image shows Felix Tshisekedi (Left), the leader of the Democratic Republic of the Congo’s Union for Democracy and Social Progress (UDPS) party, and Emmanuel Ramazani Shadary (Right), a former interior minister. (By AFP)
United Nations (UN) Secretary General Antonio Guterres on Friday urged rival candidates to participate in a peaceful competition.
Guterres urged citizens to “seize this historic opportunity to participate in the consolidation of the country’s democratic institutions.”
The call for a peaceful vote came a few days after clashes between the supporters of rival candidates left at least one person dead and over 80 injured. 103/ 211 / 209
Read more:
Presidential bid of opposition leader in Congo rejected
WHO: Congo faces 'very high' risk from Ebola outbreak
