Etienne Tshisekedi's call for a general strike beginning Monday around the Democratic Republic of Congo has largely been ignored. Mbuji-Mayi, in Kasai Oriental Province, was the only major city in the country to experience major disruptions on Monday as most schools and businesses remained closed.

Etienne Tshisekedi inaugurated himself as the president of Democratic Republic of Congo on Friday. The ceremony was staged at his home after police prevented him and his supporters from holding the event at Stade des Martyrs. Mr. Tshisekedi swore “before God and the nation to uphold and respect the Constitution and laws of the Republic and to defend its national unity and territorial integrity.”

Some in the western media have focused on what went wrong during Monday’s elections in the Democratic Republic of Congo. As they see it, the elections occurred in “chaos”, “violence”, “intimidation”, and – God forbid – if Joseph Kabila wins, the elections must have been “rigged”.

Voting was for the most part peaceful around the Democratic Republic of Congo on Monday as most of the nearly 32 million registered voters were able to cast their ballots in peace at the more than 60,000 polling stations around the country. Observers are present at the polling stations to witness the vote counting and the results being posted.

Polling stations have opened in the capital Kinshasa and all over the Democratic Republic of Congo for the presidential and parliamentary elections. Nearly 32 million Congolese will elect their president and 500 national Members of Parliament. Observers sent by the candidates are witnessing the votes.

The Governor of Kinshasa, Andre Kimbuta, canceled all rallies marking the end of the campaign in the capital on Saturday after clashes erupted between supporters of the leading candidates for president. Officials say the decision was made in consultation with the provincial committee for security, and is intended to “preserve public order and social peace.”

The leading candidates in Monday’s presidential election are set to hold dueling rallies in Kinshasa on Saturday, the last day of the campaign. President Kabila will rally supporters at Stade des Martyrs, while Etienne Tshisekedi has announced a rally in the capital upon his arrival at Ndjili airport. Vital Kamerhe will also hold a final rally at Stade Tata Raphael.

The Minister of Communication and Media, Lambert Mende, said on Wednesday that the government will ensure peace and security during the upcoming elections. “We have all the resources we need to ensure peaceful elections,” Mr. Mende told reporters during a press conference in Kinshasa.

One person was reported killed on Tuesday in Kinshasa after police fired live ammunition to disperse a protest by members of the UDPS. The unrest came a day after Etienne Tshisekedi, the leader of the UDPS, registered as a presidential candidate for the November election.

The president of the Union for Democracy and Social Progress staged an impressive show of force in the capital certain to bolster his claim that he is the best candidate from the opposition to challenge President Joseph Kabila in the one-round presidential election scheduled for November 28.