Elections in the Democratic Republic of Congo have always been a source of disputes and conflicts. To avoid these hiccups, the Independent National Electoral Commission (CENI) took the initiative to launch an electoral integrity and mediation mission. Religious denominations commended the CENI for the rapid work of identifying and registering voters. The CIME also welcomed the interest of stakeholders in the work of the CENI.
The CENI is now awaiting an external audit of the electoral register compiled after the voter identification and registration operations. To ensure the transparency of the election, this audit will be carried out by a mixed mission composed of national and international experts. The experts will study the current voter identification and registration system in order to identify its strengths and weaknesses and propose corrective measures if necessary.
With a view to improving the quality and integrity of the electoral register, the CIME, for its part, is pushing for a rigorous and independent external audit. She calls on the management of the CENI to show openness while ensuring the independence of the electoral center.
The work of the CENI will be scrutinized closely, because the external audit of the electoral register will constitute a major stake for the results of the elections. National and international experts will thus have to produce an impartial analysis to guarantee the confidence of stakeholders and the transparency of the election.
Ultimately, the CENI’s initiative to launch a call for tenders for an external audit of the electoral register is proof of its commitment to the transparency and integrity of elections in the Democratic Republic of Congo. It is to be hoped that this audit will live up to the expectations and challenge of the next elections.