KISANGANI, DR Congo, Dec 20, 2023 (BSS/AFP) - Polling stations opened at around 6:00 am (0400 GMT) Wednesday in a high-stakes Democratic Republic of Congo general election in which President Felix Tshisekedi is seeking a new term against a fragmented opposition.

AFP journalists saw the first voter casting his ballot at 6:09 am at a polling station in the eastern city of Kisangani, which sits in a region an hour ahead of the rest of the huge country, which straddles two time zones.