Supporters for Kimanu Siyaona Bibiche, one of 549 candidates in Lubumbashi's 13-seat legislatives campaign three days before the vote.
A man uses a drainage canal to work on a minibus. The Congo has some of the lowest development indicators in the world.
Supporters of incumbent President Kabila march through the centre of Lubumbashi, carrying posters with his campaign slogan of "Na Raïs, 100% sûr" ('With the President, 100% sure') on the final day of campaigning.
Cameramen, all wearing campaign material for President Joseph Kabila and accompanied by police, film a pro-Kabila candidate on the final day of campaigning.
RJ Kaniera, a Congolese rapper, is part of a the "New Emerging Music" scene which is growing popular in Lubumbashi. Many of his songs speak about the state of the country and politicians, denouncing them as liars.
Voter lists were posted on the eve of the elections, but many people were unable to find their names at the polling station for which they were registered.
Over 18,000 candidates were contesting the 500 seats of the National Assembly, resulting in parliamentary voting papers that resembled newspapers. In Lubumbashi, 549 candidates were vying for the 13 parliamentary seats.
In the early hours of voting day, two trucks carrying ballot papers to polling stations were attacked, allegedly by a group wanting independence for the Katanga province, denouncing the national elections and calling for a referendum on secession. Ballot papers transported in the trucks were left smouldering on the roadside.
An group calling for independence of Katanga province also attacked a polling station in Lubumbashi, resulting in several deaths. The Republican Guard, army and armed police were deployed to track down the perpetrators.
A man that the army claims was involved in fighting between the DRC armed forces lies dead in a field next to the Bel Air cemetery in Lubumbashi, killed in clashes between the armed forces and a group of armed men calling for secession of Katanga province.
A voting official sits at a desk during voting at the polling station attacked by the armed group.
Tensions ran high as people queued to vote following the temporary closure of a polling affected by the shooting.
Many people, having waited throughout the day, had still not cast their vote come nightfall due to logistical problems. At this polling station in Lubumbashi, ballot papers arrived seven hours late, and then were exhausted after only two hours of voting.
As night draws in, an election official takes delivery of further ballot papers. The delayed opening of many polling station meant that they stayed open late into the night to allow people to vote.
Due to the late opening of many polling stations, voting finished late into the night, and many staff worked through to the following day to count votes.
With 549 parliamentary candidates presenting in Lubumbashi, piles were made of votes cast for each candidate.
The Independent National Electoral Commission (CENI) building was ill-prepared to deal with the volume of ballots, leaving stacks of cast-ballots and voting materials outside in the rains.
Armed Republican Guard soldiers sit outside the Independent National Electoral Commission (CENI) offices in Lubumbashi as bags of cast ballots arrive. The army and police were on high alert after attacks in the city, and expected further aggression against the CENI.
International election observers were present to monitor the elections, although complained at times of severely restricted access and uncooperative electoral staff. The European Union and subsequently the Carter Centre both criticised aspects of the electoral process.
Two days after polling, people celebrate outside the provincial party headquarters of the main opposition candidate, claiming early results show a clear lead for Etienne Tshesekedi. All such publication of "results", prior to their official release, is forbidden by Congolese law.
A week after the elections, riot police closed the provincial party headquarters of the UDPS, the front-running opposition group.
On the Sunday before results were due to be announced, many prayed for peace in churches, worried about the violence that broke out on voting day.
The announcement of provisional results were delayed by several days, with no declared time for the announcement. In Lubumbashi, there was very little prior communication of the announcement. Here, a man tries to tune in the television to the national broadcaster to watch the results.
In a district of Lubumbashi largely populated with opposition supporters, men peer through the window of a barbershop to watch the results.
An opposition supporter notes down the results for incumbent President Jospeh Kabila and opposition candidate Etienne Tshesekedi during the live announcement of results.
Riot police gathered in central Lubumbashi as the results were being announced. The whole country seemed to hold its breath, awaiting the results.
Supporters of incumbent President Joseph Kabila celebrate in the streets of Lubumbashi when he is declared provisional winner of the elections.
A supporter of incumbent President Joseph Kabila rolls over a car as he celebrates Mr. Kabila's win.
In central Lubumbashi at night, a balloon floats with the campaign slogan of incumbent President Joseph Kabila, "100% sûr" ('100% sure') after Mr. Kabila has been announced provisional winner of the elections.
Several days after the announcement of the results, a group of party leaders for the opposition UDPS party protest against the closing of their party offices, as well as the results of the election, claiming widespread fraud. The demonstration was broken up by the army, who marched them towards the court-house before a last-minute reversal, freeing them. At the time of publication, opposition candidates still contested the results of the elections, after Joseph Kabila had been inaugurated as President for his second mandate.
