Election Authority Disqualifies 82 Parliamentary Candidates in Congo

The electoral commission in Congo indicated that it annulled the votes received by 82 candidates out of 101,000 candidates in the legislative and local elections held in December, due to their involvement in allegations of fraud and other issues that caused disturbances in the general elections. A statement issued late yesterday, Friday, by the Independent National Electoral Commission did not address the presidential elections that took place on the same day. Among those whose votes were annulled were competitors for seats in the national, regional, and municipal councils. The results have not yet been announced amid the chaos following the elections held on December 20, which threatens to further destabilize the Democratic Republic of Congo. The country is a major producer of cobalt and the second-largest in Africa by land area.