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The United States announced on Friday that it would refuse visas to the chief electoral officer and the highest judge of the Democratic Republic of Congo, accusing him of undermining the results of the long-awaited presidential elections.
Washington said it wanted to make it clear that it was necessary to be accountable in this conflict-ridden country, but stressed that it would continue to work with the controversial new president, Felix Tshisekedi.
The United States said it would reject any visa application from five Congolese government officials, as well as members of their immediate family, for "involvement in significant corruption related to the electoral process".
They include Corneille Nangaa, chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission, Ben Lwamba Bindu, president of the Constitutional Court, and Aubin Minaku Ndjalandjoko, president of the National Assembly.
The State Department said it also imposed visa restrictions on an unspecified number of other military and government officials for election-related human rights violations.
"These people have been enriched by corruption, or have directed or supervised violence against people who exercise their peaceful badembly rights and their freedom of expression," the state department said in a statement.
"They operated with impunity at the expense of the Congolese people and showed flagrant disregard for democratic principles and human rights," he said.
– "Respect for human rights" –
The United States and other international actors held their breath in the December 30 election, which was ultimately the first peaceful transfer of power to the largest country in sub-Saharan Africa since Belgium's independence in 1960.
Martin Fayulu, a former oil executive, alleged widespread fraud and accused Tshisekedi of collaborating with outgoing President Joseph Kabila.
Despite election concerns, regional and global powers led by South Africa quickly rallied behind Tshisekedi in hopes of preventing further instability.
Fayulu had accused the chief of elections, Nangaa, of breaking the law to facilitate the organization of election results. Nangaa fought back after the country's powerful Catholic church cast doubts about the election, saying she was not able to know the outcome of the vote.
The opposition leader also accused Kabila of stacking up the highest court to get by with the elections. Constitutionally, Kabila is barred from running for a third term and was praised for his possible resignation, but he remained in power even after his second term in 2016.
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Fayulu claimed that he was the elected president of this resource-rich country and that he kept up the pressure by tweeting Thursday: "I say it and I say it again – I will not let Joseph Kabila take the fate of a whole people taken hostage. "
The State Department, however, stated that its actions were "specific to certain individuals".
The United States was determined to work with the new government "to fulfill its stated commitment to ending corruption and strengthening democracy and accountability, as well as respect for human rights".
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