The governor of Kinshasa, capital of the Democratic Republic of the Congo, has banned campaigning in the city ahead of Sunday’s presidential vote for security reasons, a move denounced by the opposition.
Andre Kimbuta, a member of the ruling coalition, announced his decision on Wednesday following crackdowns by security forces on opposition supporters last week that killed at least seven people and caused a fire that destroyed thousands of voting machines.
“The information in our possession attests that in all the political camps of the main presidential candidates, extremists have prepared and are preparing for a street confrontation in the city of Kinshasa during election campaign activities,” Kimbuta said in a statement, without elaborating.
The long-delayed election is meant to choose a successor for President Joseph Kabila, who is due to step down after 18 years in power. If successful, it would be the DRC’s first democratic transfer of power.
Kinshasa is an opposition stronghold, where security forces killed dozens of people during protests against Kabila’s refusal to step down when his mandate officially expired two years ago.
Indigo Ellis, a research analyst at the risk consultancy Verisk Maplecroft, talks to Al Jazeera about the risks of political turmoil in the country, which could spill over across the border.
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