Opposition leader Felix Tshisekedi has been sworn in as Democratic Republic of Congo's president, succeeding Joseph Kabila.

It is the vast central African country's first transfer of power through an election in 59 years of independence.

Tshisekedi was taken ill during his inaugural address on Thursday but returned to the stage after a brief pause, saying he was exhausted by the election and the emotion of the moment.

His spokesman later told Reuters that his bulletproof vest had been too tight and he had since removed it.

Tshisekedi's victory in the December 30 election was marred by accusations he struck a backroom deal with the outgoing president to deny victory to another opposition candidate.

Tshisekedi, wearing a blue suit and dark glasses, took the oath of office before a crowd of thousands of cheering supporters, government officials and foreign ambassadors.

However, in a sign of lingering doubts about the vote's credibility, Kenya's Uhuru Kenyatta was the only foreign head of state present.

In his inaugural address, Tshisekedi called for "a reconciled Congo" following the contentious election that saw him narrowly defeat another opposition leader, Martin Fayulu, and Kabila's hand-picked successor, Emmanuel Ramazani Shadary.

"We want to build a strong Congo, turned toward its development in peace and security," he said.

"A Congo for all, in which everyone has a place."

Fayulu said he won the election by a landslide, a claim backed by Congo's Catholic Church, which deployed 40,000 observers to the polls.

However, many African and Western countries, wary that a dispute could reignite unrest in the volatile central African country, decided to recognise Tshisekedi after Congo's highest court dismissed Fayulu's fraud complaints. </s> Félix Tshisekedi on Thursday became the first opposition leader to be sworn in as president of the Democratic Republic of Congo, despite credible evidence of election fraud and questions over how much sway the country’s departing president, Joseph Kabila, will still wield.

The inauguration of Mr. Tshisekedi, best known for being the son of Mr. Kabila’s most formidable rival, marks the first handover of power in the former Belgian colony that hasn’t involved the former leader being assassinated or chased out of the country. </s> The Constitutional Court of the Democratic Republic of the Congo confirmed Felix Tshisekedi’s presidential election win on Sunday while dismissing a challenge from another opposition leader Martin Fayulu who had accused him and the ruling party of stitching up the result.

The Court “proclaims by a simple majority Félix Tshilombo Tshisekedi President-elect of the Democratic Republic of Congo”, said the institution’s President, Benoît Lwambwa Bindu.

With this announcement, Tshisekedi becomes the fifth President of the Democratic Republic of Congo since independence on June 30, 1960.

Tshisekedi is to succeed the outgoing Head of State Joseph Kabila, who has been in power since the murder of his father Laurent-Désiré Kabila 18 years ago on January 16, 2001.

This is the first time that power has been passed peacefully from one man to another in this turbulent country’s history.

Tshisekedi’s swearing-in is scheduled for Tuesday, January 22, according to the latest calendar of the National Independent Electoral Commission (Céni).

Tshisekedi, 55, is the son of the historic opponent Etienne Tshisekedi, who died on February 1 2017 in Brussels. He succeeded his father as head of the Union for Democracy and Social Progress (UDPS).

Tshisekedi will have to work with a Prime Minister from the current pro-Kabila party, who obtained a vast majority in the National Assembly according to the Electoral Commission. </s> Opposition leader Felix Tshisekedi has been sworn in as the president of the Democratic Republic of the Congo, succeeding Joseph Kabila in the vast central African country's first transfer of power through an election in 59 years of independence.

In his speech before a cheering crowd of supporters on Thursday, Tshisekedi said that the country will not be one of "division, hate or tribalism".

"We want to build a strong Congo in its cultural diversity. We will promote its development in peace and security. A Congo for each and everyone, where everybody has his or her own place," he said.

Tshisekedi's speech, however, was momentarily disrupted when he "collapsed on the podium", according to Al Jazeera's Fahmida Miller, who was at the inauguration in the capital Kinshasa.

Tshisekedi was able to resume after a few minutes.

Tshisekedi's victory in the December 30 election was marred by accusations he struck a backroom deal with the outgoing president to deny victory to the strong opposition candidate, Martin Fayulu.

Kabila and Tshisekedi's camps reject those allegations.

As Kabila looked on, Tshiskedi, in his speech, praised Fayulu, an outspoken critic of Kabila, describing him as a "soldier of the people," and thanked the third-placed candidate Emmanuel Ramazani Shadary, who was Kabila's preferred candidate.

Thousands of Tshisekedi supporters, many of them dressed in white, gathered outside the Palace of the Nation, the seat of the presidency in Kinshasa, to celebrate the grand event.

"We hope that this will be a real change, especially as he has taken power without bloodshed," said Saddam Kongolo, a member of Tshisekedi's Union for Democracy and Social Progress (UDPS).

One of Tshisekedi's first tasks will be to appoint a prime minister in a move which will see him sharing power with Kabila's supporters, who hold an overwhelming majority in the parliament.

Al Jazeera's Miller said that Tshisekedi now faces the challenge of uniting the country after a divisive election.

Tshisekedi needs to "speak to people who support Martin Fayulu, who said that the elections were rigged", she said.

The ceremony caps more than two years of turmoil sparked by Kabila's refusal to step down when he reached the constitutional limit on his term in office.

Turbulence

A country the size of continental western Europe, DR Congo has lived through two regional wars in 1996-97 and 1998-2003.

The last two presidential elections, in 2006 and 2011 - both won by Kabila, were marred by bloody clashes.

The ballot, which took place after three postponements, surprised many by the lack of violence, but a political storm swiftly brewed over the vote count.

Among foreign nations attending the ceremony, Kenya and Zambia were represented by their presidents and Tanzania by its vice presidents, according to the RTNC state television, while China, France, Japan and the United States sent their ambassadors, the journalists of AFP news agency saw.

"The opposition has run out of recourse to challenge the election results and the threat of widespread post-election violence is gradually subsiding," said Robert Besseling of EXX Africa, a business risk consultancy.

Tshisekedi took over the UDPS, DRC's oldest and largest opposition party, after the death of its founder, his father Etienne, about two years ago.

In his speech, Tshisekedi paid tribute to his father, referring to him as "president" - a nod to the late leader's declaration of himself as president after losing the disputed 2011 election to Kabila.

Conflict and poverty

Beyond the challenge of uniting a fractured country, Tshisekedi also has to deal with the brutal militias who control parts of the country's strife-torn east where an Ebola epidemic is also unfolding.

He also has to meet the expectations of his supporters about easing poverty, which afflicts the vast majority of the country's 80 million citizens.

Despite poverty, DRC boasts a treasure trove of minerals, ranging from gold and diamonds to copper and coltan - a mineral essential for the batteries used in hand-held electronic devices.

Yet, in a country where corruption is entrenched, very little of the wealth trickles down to the poor. It ranks a mere 176th on the 189-nation Human Development Index compiled by the United Nations' Development Programme (UNDP).

On Thursday, Congolese largely appeared relieved to witness a peaceful change of power in a country with a history of violent overthrows.

DR Congo's first leader, Patrice Lumumba, was removed in a military coup and assassinated in 1961.

Mobutu Sese Seko ruled for more than three decades but was overthrown in 1997 by rebel leader Laurent Kabila, who was assassinated in 2001. Kabila's son, Joseph, took over at the age of 29. </s> KINSHASA. – Opposition leader Felix Tshisekedi has been sworn in as the president of the , succeeding in the vast central African country’s first transfer of power through an election in 59 years of independence.

In his speech before a cheering crowd of supporters on Thursday, President Tshisekedi said that the country will not be one of “division, hate or tribalism”.

“We want to build a strong Congo in its cultural diversity. We will promote its development in peace and security. A Congo for each and every one, where everybody has his or her own place,” he said.

President Tshisekedi’s speech, however, was momentarily disrupted when he “collapsed on the podium”, according to Al Jazeera’s Fahmida Miller, who was at the inauguration in the capital Kinshasa.

However, President Tshisekedi was able to resume after a few minutes.

President Tshisekedi’s victory in the December 30 election was marred by accusations he struck a backroom deal with the outgoing president to deny victory to the strong opposition candidate, Martin Fayulu.

Thousands of President Tshisekedi supporters, many of them dressed in white, gathered outside the Palace of the Nation, the seat of the presidency in Kinshasa, to celebrate the grand event.

“We hope that this will be a real change, especially as he has taken power without bloodshed,” said Saddam Kongolo, a member of President Tshisekedi’s Union for Democracy and Social Progress (UDPS).

One of President Tshisekedi’s first tasks will be to appoint a prime minister in a move which will see him sharing power with Kabila’s supporters, who hold an overwhelming majority in the parliament.

Al Jazeera’s Miller said that Tshisekedi now faces the challenge of uniting the country after a divisive election.

President Tshisekedi needs to “speak to people who support Martin Fayulu, who said that the elections were rigged”, she said.

A country the size of continental western Europe, DR Congo has lived through two regional wars in 1996-97 and 1998-2003.

The last two presidential elections, in 2006 and 2011 – both won by Kabila, were marred by bloody clashes.

The ballot, which took place after three postponements, surprised many by the lack of violence, but a political storm swiftly brewed over the vote count.

Among foreign nations attending the ceremony, Kenya and Zambia were represented by their presidents and Tanzania by its vice presidents, according to the RTNC state television, while China, France, Japan and the United States sent their ambassadors, the journalists of AFP news agency saw.

“The opposition has run out of recourse to challenge the election results and the threat of widespread post-election violence is gradually subsiding,” said Robert Besseling of EXX Africa, a business risk consultancy.

President Tshisekedi took over the UDPS, DRC’s oldest and largest opposition party, after the death of its founder, his father Etienne, about two years ago.

In his speech, he paid tribute to his father, referring to him as “president” – a nod to the late leader’s declaration of himself as president after losing the disputed 2011 election to Kabila.

Beyond the challenge of uniting a fractured country, President Tshisekedi also has to deal with the brutal militias who control parts of the country’s strife-torn east where an epidemic is also unfolding.

He also has to meet the expectations of his supporters about easing poverty, which afflicts the vast majority of the country’s 80 million citizens.

The DRC boasts a treasure trove of minerals, ranging from gold and diamonds to copper and coltan – a mineral essential for the batteries used in hand-held electronic devices. – Al Jazeera/News agencies </s> By BBC

 The new president of the Democratic Republic of Congo, Félix Tshisekedi, has been sworn into office.

 He told supporters at a ceremony at the presidential palace in Kinshasa he wanted to build a “reconciled Congo”.

 Mr Tshisekedi was briefly taken ill before resuming his speech.

He is taking over from Joseph Kabila in the first peaceful transfer of power in the country in nearly 60 years, though many still dispute his victory in last month’s presidential election.

Kenya’s President Uhuru Kenyatta was the only African head of state, out of 17 invited, to watch the ceremony.

 Numerous sources say his opponent Martin Fayulu won a landslide victory and has been denied office by a backroom deal between Mr Kabila and Mr Tshisekedi.

 The influential Catholic Church, which deployed election observers on voting day, said the official data did not match its own numbers.

Mr Fayulu’s appeal to the Constitutional Court for a vote re-count was rejected, and critics say the body is too close to outgoing President Kabila and lacks independence.

Mr Tshisekedi had to cut short his inaugural address on Thursday after feeling faint. But he returned to the podium, saying he was exhausted from the long presidential campaign and the emotion of the day.

 “We want to build a strong Congo, turned toward development in peace and security – a Congo for all in which everyone has a place,” he told the crowd.

Many people there believe the handover does show the DR Congo is becoming more democratic, the BBC’s Gaïus Kowene in Kinshasa reports.

Addressing the nation on Wednesday, Mr Kabila called on Congolese citizens to support his successor, who he said could call on him for advice at any time. </s> Congo's new President Felix Tshisekedi sworn into office; country's first peaceful transfer of power since independence

KINSHASA, Congo (AP) — Congo's new President Felix Tshisekedi sworn into office; country's first peaceful transfer of power since independence. </s> The new president of the Democratic Republic of Congo, Félix Tshisekedi, has been sworn into office.

He told supporters at a ceremony at the presidential palace in Kinshasa he wanted to build a “reconciled Congo”.

Mr Tshisekedi was briefly taken ill before resuming his speech.

He is taking over from Joseph Kabila in the first peaceful transfer of power in the country in nearly 60 years, though many still dispute his victory in last month’s presidential election.

Kenya’s President Uhuru Kenyatta was the only African head of state, out of 17 invited, to watch the ceremony.

Numerous sources say his opponent Martin Fayulu won a landslide victory and has been denied office by a backroom deal between Mr Kabila and Mr Tshisekedi.

The influential Catholic Church, which deployed election observers on voting day, said the official data did not match its own numbers.
• How does Tshisekedi’s poll victory add up?

Mr Fayulu’s appeal to the Constitutional Court for a vote re-count was rejected, and critics say the body is too close to outgoing President Kabila and lacks independence.

Mr Tshisekedi had to cut short his inaugural address on Thursday after feeling faint. But he returned to the podium, saying he was exhausted from the long presidential campaign and the emotion of the day.

“We want to build a strong Congo, turned toward development in peace and security – a Congo for all in which everyone has a place,” he told the crowd.

Many people there believe the handover does show the DR Congo is becoming more democratic, the BBC’s Gaïus Kowene in Kinshasa reports.

Addressing the nation on Wednesday, Mr Kabila called on Congolese citizens to support his successor, who he said could call on him for advice at any time.

The new president is mostly known for being the son of the late veteran opposition leader Etienne Tshisekedi, who was regarded as one of DR Congo’s most important pro-democracy advocates.

The Union for Democracy and Social Progress (UDPS) party President Tshisekedi leads was founded in 1982 by his father, who turned it into the largest opposition party.

But President Tshisekedi, 55, insists he is not trying to rival his father. BBC News </s> Félix Tshisekedi, is the new president of the DRC, according to provisional results published by CENI.

Political heir to Étienne Tshisekedi, a historical opponent who died on 1 February 2017 in Brussels… Felix inherited the Union for Democracy and Social Progress UDPS, a party founded by his father in the 1980s to counter Marshal Mobutu’s dictatorship.

Born in June 1963, Félix-Antoine Tshisekedi is the third in a family of five children. At the age of 19, he followed his father relegated by Mobutu to his village in Kasai. A significant episode for the young man.

At 22, he went into exile in Belgium.

Despite being In his father’s shadow, Felix rose through the ranks of the UDPS. In 2011, he was elected deputy in Mbuji-Mayi and refused to sit in the National Assembly to respect his father’s slogan against the disputed re-election of Joseph Kabila.

At the end of 2016, he once again rejected a position as Prime Minister of the Kabila government, which remained in power beyond the end of its last mandate.

Unsurprisingly elected president and candidate of the UDPS, Tshisekedi won the presidential election with 38.57% of the votes.

If he follows his pre-election statements, his priority will be to bring back his late father’s body and organize a national funeral.
Félix Tshisekedi is sworn in as the 5th President of the Democratic Republic of the Congo, marking the first transition of power by an election in the country since it gained independence in 1960.