Kabila advisor accepts election defeat; says democracy triumphed

KINSHASA (Reuters) - Barnabe Kikaya Bin Karubi, one of Congolese President Joseph Kabila's top advisors, accepted on Thursday the loss of the ruling party's preferred candidate in a contentious election.

“Of course we are not happy as our candidate lost, but the Congolese people have chosen and democracy has triumphed,” Kikaya told Reuters shortly after opposition leader Felix Tshisekedi was declared the winner.

(Reporting by Giulia Paravicini; Writing by David Lewis; Editing by Alexandra Zavis)