DRC POLLS : SC confirms Tshisekedi as winner

Regional powers hailed Felix Tshisekedi as DR Congo's incoming president yesterday, despite claims by his opponents of an election stitch-up and the African Union earlier warning of "serious doubts" over the result.

Announcing the final results of the much-delayed poll, the Constitutional Court threw out a legal challenge by runner-up Martin Fayulu in an overnight declaration early on Sunday.

It declared Tshisekedi the winner, paving the way for him to take over from the country's longtime leader Joseph Kabila, 47.

The election dispute has raised fears of fresh bloodshed in the vast and volatile central African nation.

The chairman of the African Union (AU), Rwandan President Paul Kagame, was due in Kinshasa on Monday after the AU questioned the election results.

The bloc had called for the final results to be delayed.

But the 16-nation Southern African Development Community congratulated Tshisekedi yesterday for being declared president-elect and called for a peaceful handover of power.

Hundreds of Tshisekedi's supporters celebrated by blowing whistles and horns near his party headquarters in the capital Kinshasa, where the atmosphere was otherwise calm yesterday.

Fayulu has described the outcome of the vote as an "electoral coup".