WASHINGTON (Pakistan Point News / Sputnik - 23rd February, 2019) The United States has sanctioned several high-level election and government officials in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) due to their alleged role in corrupting the electoral process in the country, the Department of State said in a press release on Friday.
"The Secretary of State is publicly designating, due to their involvement in significant corruption relating to the electoral process, the following individuals: Mr. Corneille Nangaa, President of the Democratic Republic of the Congo's (DRC) National Independent Electoral Commission (CENI); Mr. Norbert Basengezi Katintima, Vice President of CENI; Mr. Marcellin Mukolo Basengezi, Advisor to the President of CENI; Mr. Aubin Minaku Ndjalandjoko, President of the DRC's National Assembly; and Mr. Benoit Lwamba Bindu, President of the DRC's Constitutional Court," the release said.
US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo is also placing visa restrictions on other election, military and government officials for alleged human rights violations and abusing democratic process, the release said.
The sanctions were made in accordance to the Department of State, Foreign Operations, and Related Programs Appropriations Act of 2019, the release noted. This action reflects the United States' commitment to work with the new DRC government as it aims to end corruption and stabilize the country, the release added.
Last month, the DRC's Constitutional Court confirmed the provisional results of the December 20 presidential election and proclaimed opposition candidate Felix Tshisekedi to be the republic's new president. The court is required by law to verify the results of the vote.
The DRC's National Electoral Commission (CENI) had announced that, according to the provisional results, Tshisekedi had been elected president with more than 38 percent of the votes. His opponent, Martin Fayulu, refused to concede defeat because of alleged electoral fraud and claimed he had been elected president by winning more than 60 percent of the votes.
In response to the ruling, Fayulu accused both the National Electoral Commission and the Constitutional Court of serving Tshisekedi's interests and violating the republic's laws, and called on the citizens to organize peaceful demonstrations across the country.
