Opposition leader Felix Tshisekedi has been sworn in as the president of the Democratic Republic of the Congo, succeeding Joseph Kabila in the vast central African country’s first transfer of power through an election in 59 years of independence.
In his speech before a cheering crowd of supporters on Thursday, Tshisekedi said that the country will not be one of “division, hate or tribalism”.
“We want to build a strong Congo in its cultural diversity. We will promote its development in peace and security. A Congo for each and every one, where everybody has his or her own place,” he said.
Tshisekedi’s victory in the December 30 election was marred by accusations he struck a backroom deal with the outgoing president to deny victory to the strong opposition candidate, Martin Fayulu. Kabila and Tshisekedi’s camps reject those allegations. Thousands of Tshisekedi supporters, many of them dressed in white, gathered outside the Palace of the Nation, the seat of the presidency in Kinshasa, to celebrate the grand event.
