KINSHASA, Jan. 20 (Xinhua) -- The constitutional court of the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) on Sunday confirmed the victory of opposition leader Felix Tshisekedi in presidential elections after rejecting a legal appeal by the runner-up.
According to the court, Tshisekedi, candidate of the Union for Democracy and Social Progress (UDPS), won the elections with more than 38.5 percent of the vote while his close rival Martin Fayulu, another opposition candidate, garnered around 28 percent of the vote. They were followed by Emmanuel Ramazani Shadary, a candidate for the ruling coalition.
After Tshisekedi was declared the winner of the election last week, Fayulu rejected the result, claiming that he grabbed at least 61 percent of the vote, and filed an appeal to the constitutional court.
On Thursday, the African Union (AU) asked the DRC authorities to suspend the announcement of the final result of the controversial election until an AU delegation arrives on Monday in Kinshasa to start a mediation for a peaceful solution.
In a statement made on Saturday morning, government spokesman Lambert Mende said that the court is independent and must deliver its judgment in accordance with the deadlines set by the law and the rules despite the AU delegation's demand.
Aged 55, Tshisekedi will be sworn in the following week as the new DRC president, succeeding President Joseph Kabila who has ruled the country since 2001.
