51�Թ�

Tens of thousands thronged the streets when Tshisekedi visited his political stronghold of Mbuji-Mayi, a southern city, in early elections, chanting slogans calling on the father of five to save the nation.

In 2008, he became national secretary for external relations and was elected to the national assembly in 2011 as representative for Mbuji-Mayi, the country’s third city.

Activists in the southern city of Mbuji-Mayi told the Guardian the day had been calm apart from an incident of suspected rigging in favour of government candidates.

In the Kasais – the name given to the provinces around Mbuji-Mayi – the grass is yet to grow over the mass graves left by a conflict between rebels and government forces in which thousands died between 2016 and last summer.

In Mbuji-Mayi few have much faith in the system.