Congolese President Felix Tshisekedi took the oath of office on Saturday for his second five-year term, following a disputed election in December. In his inauguration ceremony attended by several heads of state, Tshisekedi pledged to unite the Central African country and prioritize the protection of lives in the conflict-ridden eastern region.
“I am taking back the baton of command that you entrusted to me. We want a more united, stronger and prosperous Congo,” declared President Tshisekedi, 60, during the ceremony. His first inauguration in 2019 marked the Democratic Republic of Congo’s first democratic transfer of power since gaining independence from Belgium in 1960.
Tshisekedi secured reelection with over 70% of the vote, according to the election commission. However, the validity of the election faced scrutiny from opposition candidates and supporters due to logistical issues, such as delayed or unopened polling stations and insufficient materials. The voter turnout was reported to be 40%.
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Despite the constitutional court rejecting a petition to annul the election earlier this month, opposition candidates urged their supporters to protest the president’s inauguration. However, there were no signs of protests in the capital, Kinshasa, on Saturday.
Congo, with a population exceeding 100 million, possesses abundant mineral resources, yet economic and security challenges have impeded its development. Approximately one in four citizens faces crisis or emergency levels of food insecurity, according to U.N. statistics.
Eastern Congo grapples with the impact of over 120 armed groups vying for control of resources, such as gold, and protecting their communities. Some of these groups receive quiet support from Congo’s neighbors. The violence, displacing nearly 7 million people, has led to mass killings.
Analysts emphasize that peace and stability in eastern Congo are urgent needs for the country. The U.N. peacekeeping mission, present for over two decades, is concluding, and troops from an East African regional force are also departing.
“We expect from President Félix Tshisekedi, during his second term, many changes, particularly in the east, where thousands of citizens are still dying, to improve the situation of people and the functions of the state, and above all to improve the well-being and better being of Congolese,” stated Patrick Mbembe, 48, in the capital.
Tshisekedi assumed the presidency in 2019, emerging from the shadow of his father, one of Congo’s most prominent public figures. While Etienne Tshisekedi missed the presidency, his death in 2017 played a role in propelling his son into the political spotlight.
