Congo president: Election timeline should be released ‘soon’

UNITED NATIONS – Congo President Joseph Kabila says a timeline for his country’s delayed and highly anticipated presidential election should be released “soon.”

Kabila said Saturday at the U.N. General Assembly that Congo is moving toward elections with “undeniable tenacity.” He appealed to the international community to back the process.

He says 42 million of a projected 45 million voters have already registered. He notes the process recently began in the last area to open registration, the bloody Kasai region.

Congo’s electoral commission has said the delay in starting registration in Kasai means the election can’t be held this year. The government and opposition had agreed to hold the vote by the end of 2017.

The opposition has accused Kabila of delaying the vote to stay in power. His mandate ended in December.