President Joseph Kabila has told supporters not to worry, he remains the president of the Democratic Republic of Congo, at least until Monday.

The incumbent president was referring to statements made earlier in the campaign by his main challenger, Etienne Tshisekedi, who declared himself president three weeks ago.

Mr. Tshisekedi has said that he is the president of DR Congo “because the Congolese people have already chosen me.”

Mr. Kabila made the remarks on Friday, during a rally in Boma, Bas-Congo Province. He urged the youth to rebuild the Congo, which has been "destroyed by those who ruled the country since 1960." He also announced major reconstruction projects.

On Thursday, the president told supporters in Matadi to “vote for candidate number 3 for peace, stability, reconstruction and the modernization of the Democratic Republic of Congo.” He assured that “nobody will disturb the elections”, which will be held “in peace.”

President Kabila will mark the end of a campaign tour of the country that started in his eastern Congo strongholds with a grande finale at Stade des Martyrs, in Kinshasa, on Saturday, the last day of the official campaign period.

The Congolese people will decide who will get the last laugh and who will “cry in their native language” on Monday, November 28, when they get to choose their president and national Members of Parliament for the next five years. The results of the elections will be announced on December 6.

On the web: Congo News Agency | Excerpts from Le Potentiel article