The government of the Democratic Republic of the Congo announced on Tuesday that a demonstration planned by the opposition on Wednesday to protest against the “irregularities” which, according to it, tainted the 20-21 December elections, would be banned.

“Tomorrow’s demonstration is aimed at jerking off the electoral process, the government of the Republic cannot accept this”, Interior Minister Peter Kazadi told the press. ‘I can assure you that there will be no such walk,’ he insisted.

In a letter released on Saturday, five presidential opponents informed the governor of Kinshasa of their intention to hold a march on Wednesday. “We will protest against the irregularities found during the voting operations”, they wrote, calling the election “simulacist”.

These opponents include Martin Fayulu, an unsuccessful candidate in the 2018 election, and Denis Mukwege, Nobel Peace Prize laureate for his work with women victims of war rape. The camp of another opposition candidate, the former governor of the mining region of Katanga (south-east) Moses Katumbi, has called for the simple annulment of the elections. As early as 20 December, the opposition described the elections as “total chaos”.

Nearly 44 million voters, out of about 100 million people in the huge country, were expected to elect their president, national and provincial deputies and communal councillors last Wednesday. Due to multiple logistical problems, the four-time elections were formally extended by one day and continued until Christmas in some remote areas.

The electoral commission’s still very partial presidential results put the outgoing president, Félix Tshisekedi, in the lead, with more than 80% of the estimated 1.8 million votes counted.