Outcome of poll machinations send nations into dark ages

So Joseph Kabila has pulled yet another electoral coup in the Democratic Republic of Congo. And it looks like he may get away with it, at least in the interim. Another election, and another farce with pre-ordained results, though this latest one was well thought through in its insidiousness.

Knowing that declaring his party candidate the winner would almost certainly lead to chaos and conflict, given the vast and open hostility against him, Kabila went with Plan B, which was to make a deal with the weaker opposition candidate, then ensure parliament was controlled by his party. It was a devilish brilliant move since Felix Tshisekedi, the declared winner has some residual support transferred from his father, and some support in the capital Kinshasa, even though he was clearly losing to the main opposition candidate Martin Fayulu, according to the Catholic Church which had the most credible observation team.