Felix Tshisekedi sworn in as DR Congo president Thursday Jan 24,2019

Opposition leader Felix Tshisekedi has been sworn in as the president of the Democratic Republic of the Congo, succeeding Joseph Kabila in the vast central African country's first transfer of power through an election in 59 years of independence.

In his speech before a cheering crowd of supporters on Thursday Jan 24,2019 , Tshisekedi said that the country will not be one of "division, hate or tribalism".

"We want to build a strong Congo in its cultural diversity. We will promote its development in peace and security. A Congo for each and everyone, where everybody has his or her own place," he said

Thousands of Tshisekedi supporters, many of them dressed in white, gathered outside the Palace of the Nation, the seat of the presidency in Kinshasa, to celebrate the grand event.

Tshisekedi's victory in the December 30 election was marred by accusations he struck a backroom deal with the outgoing president to deny victory to the strong opposition candidate, Martin Fayulu.  Kabila and Tshisekedi's camps reject those allegations. DR Congo,the size of continental western Europe, DR Congo has lived through two regional wars in 1996-97 and 1998-2003. DR Congo's first leader, Patrice Lumumba, was removed in a military coup and assassinated in 1961. Mobutu Sese Seko ruled for more than three decades but was overthrown in 1997 by rebel leader Laurent Kabila, who was assassinated in 2001 Kabila's son, Joseph, took over at the age of 29. The last two presidential elections, in 2006 and 2011 - both won by Kabila, were marred by bloody clashes. The ballot, which took place after three postponements, surprised many by the lack of violence, but a political storm swiftly brewed over the vote count.