NEW YORK (Pakistan Point News / Sputnik - 11th January, 2019) The United States awaits that the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) authorities to provide clarification to questions concerning the country's election results, US Department of State Deputy Spokesperson Robert Palladino said in a statement.
"The National Independent Electoral Commission has announced provisional results, but we await clarification of questions which have been raised regarding the electoral count," Palladino said on Thursday.
Earlier in the day, DRC's National Independent Electoral Commission published preliminary results of the December 30presidential election.
The Commission announced that opposition candidate Felix Tshisekedi had won the election.
The Catholic church in the DRC questioned the outcome of the election and claimed the findings obtained by its own observers did not match the announced results.
Palladino said in the statement that stakeholders in the election process could request to review the announced results to confirm that they reflect the will of the people.
In Addition, Palladino called on all parties in the DRC to remain calm and abstain from violence, adding that the United States would hold responsible those who obstruct the democratic process in the country.
Under DRC's electoral law, the official results of the election must be approved by the country's Constitutional Court.
