Retired President Uhuru Kenyatta has officially congratulated Antoine Tshisekedi Tshilombo after being re-elected as the Democratic Republic of Congo's President.
In a statement, Uhuru called on Tshisekedi to inclusively work with those who voted for him and those who didn't.
"We are working towards restoring a long-lasting peace in the nation, which will propel the fortunes of the people of the DRC and spur socio-economic growth and development in the country," he said.
Uhuru is the facilitator of the peace process constituted to broker peace in the EAC-led Nairobi Peace Process
The former President had on Sunday, through an X post, denied congratulating Tshisekedi as President-elect as provisional results had not been announced.
He said he did not author the message in which he allegedly asked Tshisekedi to unify the country.
"The office of the 4th President of the Republic of Kenya and Facilitator of the EAC-Led Nairobi Peace Process would like to disassociate itself from this news update doing the rounds within various mainstream and social media platforms," the Sunday statement, which he refuted, reads.
Tshisekedi won with about 73 per cent of the vote, with his nearest challenger, Moise Katumbi, on 18 per cent, officials said.
The December 20 election was reportedly marred by widespread logistical problems
It had to be extended to a second day in some parts of the vast country.
About two-thirds of polling stations opened late, while 30 per cent of voting machines did not work on the first day of the vote, according to an observer group.
Millions of people waited for hours before they were able to vote, while some gave up and went home.
The opposition claimed the problems were part of a deliberate plan to allow the results to be rigged in favour of Tshisekedi, 60.
Some 44 million Congolese nationals were registered to cast their votes in the election, which also saw voters line up to elect Members of Parliament and provincial and municipal representatives.
The elections were, however, not held in parts of the eastern region where government forces have been battling rebel groups for the past three decades.
