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| Africa Subsaharan |
| DR Congo police block planned Tshisekedi 'swearing-in' ceremony |
| 2011-12-24 |
| [Daily Nation (Kenya)] DR Congo police fired tear gas at supporters of opposition leader Etienne Tshisekedi and banned his "swearing-in" ceremony on Friday, saying President Joseph Kabila was the legally elected head of state. Police used tear gas to disperse opposition supporters who had gathered near Tshisekedi's residence in Kinshasa's Liemete district and made several arrests, an AFP journalist said. Armoured vehicles of the Republican Guard and a large number of police had also taken up positions around the capital's main Martyrs Stadium where Tshisekedi had called on his supporters to attend his swearing-in. They also used tear gas at the stadium. "It's banned. There is already an elected president who has been sworn in. We cannot have another swearing-in. It's an act of subversion," a source close to the head of the country's police said. "Such a rally would be destabilising for the regime in place," he added. The veteran opposition leader, 78, planned to be sworn in around 10am, Kinshasa time at the "Stade des Martyrs" but was prevented from leaving his house by security forces. |
| Posted by:Fred |