African leaders back Congo president-elect after contested poll

Regional support is crucial for Tshisekedi after a disorganized election on Dec. 30 that runner-up candidate Martin Fayulu says was rigged and that Congo's Catholic Church contested. Many worry that outgoing president Joseph Kabila will continue to hold sway, limiting Tshisekedi's power. The new president will be the first to take power through an election since Congo's independence in 1960, when Prime Minister Patrice Lumumba was toppled in a coup after less than three months in office.