Congo's electoral commission has requested a delay in national elections that are scheduled for June.
The head of the commission said Thursday he has presented the request to parliament, which must approve any delay. He did not say why the delay is necessary.
However the move was widely expected as preparations for the polls have fallen behind schedule.
The delay is in line with Congo's peace accord, which allows up to two six-month delays in elections, the nation's first since independence in 1960. Congo's peace deal, signed in 2003, ended a five-year war.
Earlier this year, concerns about a delay in the elections led to violent protests in Kinshasa. Thursday, police were out in force on the streets of the capital to prevent any violence.
Some information for this report provided by AFP and Reuters.
