Written by Aaron Ross | From Reuters

Democratic Republic of Congo should promptly set a date for a presidential election in 2016, a senior U.S. envoy said on Monday, increasing international pressure on President Joseph Kabila to step down at the polls next year.

Last month, street protests killed 42 people and forced lawmakers to drop an electoral reform bill the opposition said was aimed at keeping Kabila in power.

The attention has now shifted to the National Independent Electoral Commission (CENI) which has yet to set a date for the election.

“We would like to see that global calendar as soon as possible, including in particular the confirmation that the presidential election will be held before the end of 2016,” the U.S. special envoy to Africa’s Great Lakes region Russ Feingold said.

Speaking at a news conference in the capital Kinshasa, Feingold reiterated the United States’ opposition to any delay to the election.

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