Ten days after Congolese voters cast their ballots in their oft-delayed presidential election, the oft-delayed results were at last going to be announced late Wednesday night in Kinshasa, the capital.

Riot police officers were deployed, citizens waited anxiously, the hour appointed by the electoral commission — 11 p.m. — came and went. But not a word was heard.

It appeared there was yet another delay. Early Thursday morning, hours after the scheduled announcement, election officials began announcing the winners of hundreds of provincial deputy seats, but not the presidential race.

What it all meant in a country whose longtime leader did all he could to extend his grip on power before finally agreeing to step down was anyone’s guess.