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Kinshasa — The government of the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) says it will push back next month’s presidential election to April 2018, in a move that is set to keep President Joseph Kabila in office until the delayed vote.

The decision, announced on Sunday after talks between the ruling coalition and smaller parties, is expected to anger the main opposition bloc, which boycotted the cross-party discussions.

“The main opposition coalition have not been part of the dialogue that led to this decision,” Al Jazeera’s Malcolm Webb, reporting from Kampala in neighbouring Uganda, said.

“They say that the dialogue is not fair, not transparent and it is part of what they say is Kabila’s attempt to over stay in office.”

The presidential election was originally scheduled for November, with Kabila, who is constitutionally barred from seeking a third term in office, due to step down in December. — AFP