Congo's Kabila cedes seats in parliament, results show

KINSHASA (Reuters) - Democratic Republic of Congo President Joseph Kabila's ruling party has lost seats to rivals but will remain the largest bloc in parliament, according to partial election results released on Friday.

The outcome could complicate Kabila's efforts to form a government in the central African state. His recent re-election as president was decried by the opposition as fraudulent and the polls were widely criticized by observers for irregularities.

Kabila's PPRD party has won 56 seats, according to the electoral commission, with the opposition UDPS party coming in second with 34 seats. The results cover 447 of the national assembly's 500 seats.

Kabila's party had held 111 seats after the previous legislative polls in 2006, meaning the PPRD is destined to lose seats to rival parties following the November 28 election.

Tensions have been running high in Congo since the vote which pitted Kabila against his chief rival Etienne Tshisekedi. Human Rights Watch has said at least 24 people have been killed by security forces since the first results were announced.

The election was meant to show the country's progress towards stability since a 1998-2003 war that killed more than five million people. Congo is a treasure trove of minerals, but years of turmoil have hindered investment.

Congo's highly influential Catholic Church this month accused the government of "treachery, lies and terror" and called for the electoral commission to fix errors from the polls or resign.