According to results published on state television RTNC, the candidate of the Sacred Union of the Nation – a political coalition formed around Tshisekedi – won the first round in eleven provinces.

The elected governors are three women: Ritha Bola for Mai-Nombe (south-west) province, Isabel Kalenga in Haut-Lomami and Julie Ngungwa in Tanganyika (south-east).

Former President Joseph Kabila (2001–2019)’s Common Front for Congo (FCC) won single rule in Manima (East).

CENI announced that a second round should be held on Monday in the provinces of Kongo Central (southwest) and Tshopo (east) to decide between the two candidates who came first.

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The former governors of these fourteen provinces – out of 24 in the country – were mostly members of the FCC. He was dismissed by the provincial legislatures, who accused him of various mismanagement (mismanagement of provincial resources, corruption, inefficiency, etc.).

The dismissals came in December 2020, when President Tshisekedi ended the alliance he had formed with the FCC, after two years of controversial co-management of the country.

The FCC, a majority in the national and provincial legislatures, then condemned the settlement of the political score. All appeals to the courts have confirmed these dismissals.

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Tshisekedi has been in power since January 2019. After two years in office, he overthrew a majority in both houses of parliament, appointed a new prime minister and appointed relatives to head various political, judicial and economic institutions.

The next presidential election is due in late 2023. The head of state has already expressed a desire to run again.

Former prime minister Augustin Matata (2012-2016), who floated his own political party earlier this week, also declared himself a candidate.