Democratic Republic of the Congo: Upcoming Elections

Following the Government’s announcement in Kinshasa that it does not have sufficient means to finance the electoral process, the Peace Network for Congo said in a statement: “The Democratic Republic of Congo is likely to become the only country in the world where all institutions will not have a mandate, therefore, illegal and illegitimate”.

The statement continues: “Is it still possible to organize the presidential and national legislative elections by the end of November 2016, and the outcome of the results to be accepted by all without being contested?”.

The Electoral Commission has not begun the task of revising and updating voter lists on the government’s behalf. In the case of failed elections this November, the President of the Republic and the National Assembly of Deputies will lose legitimacy, because they will have exceeded the duration of their mandate. The Senate and the Assemblies of the provincial deputies have already been illegitimate since January 2012, having been elected in January 2007 for a term of five years.

The statement says: “It is a deadlock which, probably, a constitutional solution is difficult to give”.

“The solution to this deadlock can only be a political one and is through dialogue between the different parties Involved in the electoral process. The Electoral Commission already has an hoc committee: a tripartite, composed of Delegates of the Electoral Commission, political parties of the majority and the opposition parties.”

As regards the financing of elections, it is irresponsible to apply the principle of “national sovereignty” if the state as such does not have the necessary means for the organisation of elections. The statement concludes: “It would be wise to seek the help of the international community, which already said it is ready to collaborate as, indeed, it did in 2006”.

Subscribe to our mailing list!

Recent Posts