Zambia Leader Urges ‘Negotiated Political Settlement’ in Congo

(Bloomberg) -- An African development group urged political leaders in the Democratic Republic of Congo to negotiate an “all-inclusive government” as results of a presidential election last month are contested.

Zambian President Edgar Lungu, speaking for the Southern African Development Community, said all parties in the Congo should work toward a government of national unity.

“Given the strong objections to the provisional results of the presidential election” on Dec. 30, the SADC “has called on all political leaders to consider a negotiated political settlement for an all-inclusive government,” Lungu said in a statement Sunday.

Losing candidate Martin Fayulu, a leader of the opposition, appealed his defeat on Saturday, while outgoing head of state Joseph Kabila’s coalition claimed a crushing win in the parliamentary polls for the Assembly.

To contact the reporter on this story: Taonga Clifford Mitimingi in Johannesburg at tmitimingi@bloomberg.net

To contact the editors responsible for this story: Steve Geimann at sgeimann@bloomberg.net;Matthew G. Miller at mmiller144@bloomberg.net

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