DR Congo election campaign kicks off with fireworks and bullets

[Collection]The Democratic Republic of the Congo has begun a month-long election campaign with 26 presidential candidates amidst a tense political climate and ongoing conflict. The country has around 44 million registered voters, who will choose a president on December 20. There are also tens of thousands of candidates for legislative and local bodies. While the current president, Felix Tshisekedi, is favored to win, the opposition is already warning of widespread voting fraud. The ongoing fighting in the east of the country poses a threat to the electoral process.