Congo security forces surround home of presidential runner-up Katumbi

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Security forces on Monday surrounded the home of the Democratic Republic of Congo’s main opposition politician Moise Katumbi, who came second in the disputed presidential elections last month, one of his spokespeople said.

Both the opposition and independent observers have criticised the way the Dec. 20-24 election was conducted and raised doubts about the transparency of the vote in which President Felix Tshisekedi won a second term.

Katumbi, who came second with 18%, was among several main opposition contenders who ruled out mounting a legal challenge to the results, citing an alleged lack of independence of state institutions.

He has added his voice to opposition calls for the election to be annulled, citing “massive fraud”, and in a statement on Sunday urged the international community not to recognise the provisional results announced by Congo’s election commission.

A spokesman for Katumbi, Herve Diakesse, said security forces had surrounded his secondary home in the southern province of Upper Katanga, where the politician is staying, and were preventing him from leaving.

“We are struggling to figure out why,” he said via telephone.

Congo’s government spokesman did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

Logistical setbacks, an election day over-run, and an opaque vote count have fuelled a dispute that threatens to further destabilise a country roughly the size of Western Europe which is the world’s top producer of cobalt and other prized industrial commodities.

Only two opposition candidates out of 18 presidential contenders filed petitions to challenge the results to the Constitutional Court, which was hearing the matter on Monday.