The EU said Sunday that "doubts remain" over the result of the DR Congo's disputed election, after the country's highest court declared Felix Tshisekedi president, outraging opponents.

With fears running high that the poll dispute could plunge the perennially unstable central African nation into fresh turmoil, an EU spokeswoman pleaded for all sides to refrain from "any action that could lead to violence".

DR Congo's constitutional court threw out a legal challenge by runner-up Martin Fayulu early Sunday, paving the way for Tshisekedi to take over from long-ruling strongman Joseph Kabila.

"We take note of the announcement by the Constitutional Court last night," an EU spokeswoman said.

"As expressed by the AU (African Union) high-level consultative meeting on Thursday in Addis, doubts remain regarding the conformity of the result," she added.

The AU's chairman, Rwandan President Paul Kagame, is due in Kinshasa on Monday, and the EU called on all parties to cooperate with his mission.

The AU had called for the final results to be delayed. But another regional bloc, the 16-nation Southern African Development Community, congratulated Tshisekedi on Sunday and called for a peaceful handover of power.

Tshisekedi's victory was provisionally announced earlier this month by the election commission CENI, but it was challenged both at home and abroad.

The Financial Times and other foreign media have reported seeing documents that confirm Fayulu as the winner, and the influential Roman Catholic Church, which says it deployed 40,000 observers to monitor the poll, has also dismissed the official outcome.

The EU said Sunday that "doubts remain" over the result of the DR Congo's disputed election, after the country's highest court declared Felix Tshisekedi president, outraging opponents.

The EU said Sunday that "doubts remain" over the result of the DR Congo's disputed election, after the country's highest court declared Felix Tshisekedi president, outraging opponents. With fears running high that the poll dispute could plunge the perennially unstable central African nation into fresh turmoil, an EU spokeswoman pleaded for all sides to refrain from "any action that could lead to violence". DR Congo's constitutional court threw out a legal challenge by runner-up Martin Fayulu early Sunday, paving the way for Tshisekedi to take over from long-ruling strongman Joseph Kabila. "We take note of the announcement by the Constitutional Court last night," an EU spokeswoman said. "As expressed by the AU (African Union) high-level consultative meeting on Thursday in Addis, doubts remain regarding the conformity of the result," she added. The AU's chairman, Rwandan President Paul Kagame, is due in Kinshasa on Monday, and the EU called on all parties to cooperate with his mission. The AU had called for the final results to be delayed. But another regional bloc, the 16-nation Southern African Development Community, congratulated Tshisekedi on Sunday and called for a peaceful handover of power. Tshisekedi's victory was provisionally announced earlier this month by the election commission CENI, but it was challenged both at home and abroad. The Financial Times and other foreign media have reported seeing documents that confirm Fayulu as the winner, and the influential Roman Catholic Church, which says it deployed 40,000 observers to monitor the poll, has also dismissed the official outcome.

European Union says 'doubts remain' over DR Congo election result

A crackdown last week on protests in Zimbabwe is a foretaste of how the government will respond to future unrest, the president's spokesman said, fuelling concerns that the country is reverting to authoritarian rule.

Police say three people died during protests over fuel price hikes in Harare's capital and second city Bulawayo that turned violent. But human rights groups say evidence suggests at least a dozen people were killed while scores were treated for gunshot wounds.

"(The) government will not stand by while such narrow interests play out so violently. The response so far is just a foretaste of things to come," said President Emmerson Mnangagwa's spokesman George Charamba.

Charamba told the state-controlled Sunday Mail newspaper the government would review some provisions of the constitution adopted in 2013, which he said were being abused by proponents of democracy.

Lawyers and activists say hundreds of Zimbabweans were detained last week accused of public order offences, including at least four lawmakers from the opposition MDC party and Evan Mawarire, a pastor who rose to prominence as a critic of former leader Robert Mugabe critic and led a national shutdown in 2016.

Local rights groups say security forces, accused of night raids at homes of suspected protesters, are now trying to track down people who have gone into hiding.

A partial internet blackout was still in force on Sunday, two days after mobile networks sent messages to customers saying they had been ordered to keep social media sites shut until further notice.

When he was elected in July, Mnangagwa promised a clean break with the 37-year rule of Mugabe, who used the security forces to quell civilian protests before being forced out in a de facto coup in November 2017.

But the MDC says former Mugabe ally Mnangagwa is now overseeing a reversion to authoritarian rule by using the same tactic.

Charamba, who is on an official trip with Mnangagwa to Azerbaijan, said the MDC leadership and affiliate organisations would be "held fully accountable for the violence and the looting." The MDC denies fomenting unrest.

U.N. rights officials denounced last week's crackdown, while an independent inquiry found that the army used excessive force when it stepped in to stop post-election violence last August, during which six people were shot dead.

Zimbabweans, who have seen their purchasing power eroded by soaring inflation, also say Mnangagwa has not delivered on pre-election pledges to kick-start economic growth after Mugabe's exit.

A crackdown last week on protests in Zimbabwe is a foretaste of how the government will respond to future unrest, the president's spokesman said, fuelling concerns that the country is reverting to authoritarian rule.

A crackdown last week on protests in Zimbabwe is a foretaste of how the government will respond to future unrest, the president's spokesman said, fuelling concerns that the country is reverting to authoritarian rule. Police say three people died during protests over fuel price hikes in Harare's capital and second city Bulawayo that turned violent. But human rights groups say evidence suggests at least a dozen people were killed while scores were treated for gunshot wounds. "(The) government will not stand by while such narrow interests play out so violently. The response so far is just a foretaste of things to come," said President Emmerson Mnangagwa's spokesman George Charamba. Charamba told the state-controlled Sunday Mail newspaper the government would review some provisions of the constitution adopted in 2013, which he said were being abused by proponents of democracy. Lawyers and activists say hundreds of Zimbabweans were detained last week accused of public order offences, including at least four lawmakers from the opposition MDC party and Evan Mawarire, a pastor who rose to prominence as a critic of former leader Robert Mugabe critic and led a national shutdown in 2016. Local rights groups say security forces, accused of night raids at homes of suspected protesters, are now trying to track down people who have gone into hiding. A partial internet blackout was still in force on Sunday, two days after mobile networks sent messages to customers saying they had been ordered to keep social media sites shut until further notice. When he was elected in July, Mnangagwa promised a clean break with the 37-year rule of Mugabe, who used the security forces to quell civilian protests before being forced out in a de facto coup in November 2017. But the MDC says former Mugabe ally Mnangagwa is now overseeing a reversion to authoritarian rule by using the same tactic. Charamba, who is on an official trip with Mnangagwa to Azerbaijan, said the MDC leadership and affiliate organisations would be "held fully accountable for the violence and the looting." The MDC denies fomenting unrest. U.N. rights officials denounced last week's crackdown, while an independent inquiry found that the army used excessive force when it stepped in to stop post-election violence last August, during which six people were shot dead. Zimbabweans, who have seen their purchasing power eroded by soaring inflation, also say Mnangagwa has not delivered on pre-election pledges to kick-start economic growth after Mugabe's exit.

Zimbabwe crackdown a sign of things to come: Emmerson Mnangagwa's spokesman

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European Union says 'doubts remain' over DR Congo election result

Zimbabwe crackdown a sign of things to come: Emmerson Mnangagwa's spokesman