The political situation in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) remains tense. Congolese opposition leaders, Moïse Katumbi, Martin Fayulu, Delly Sesanga and Augustin Matata Ponyo, recently called for respect for democratic rules before the presidential elections of December 2023. In their press release, they demanded the audit of the electoral register by a reputable international firm before auditing the file. They also invited the CENI to clarify the procedures used to compile the file.
This is not the first time that the Congolese opposition has raised concerns about the transparency of the upcoming elections. They also urged the electoral commission to publish provisional lists of all enrollment centers and post them on CENI websites. The leaders of the coalition have also called a big march against growing insecurity, the high cost of living, misery and the chaotic electoral process.
However, the International Organization of La Francophonie (OIF) refused to audit the electoral register in the DRC, arguing that the time was too short to carry out such a mission. The Electoral Commission then launched a call for tenders for the selection of experts to carry out this audit.
The Katumbi-Fayulu-Sesanga-Matata quartet would therefore like the audit of the electoral register to be entrusted to a competent international firm. If the CENI is persistent in its methods, the opposition leaders have made it clear that they will use all democratic means to obtain the departure of the CENI.
In this still rather troubled and uncertain context, the call for vigilance and mobilization of the Congolese population takes on its full meaning. Initiatives in this direction are multiplying, whether through civil society, political parties, or committed personalities. The challenge of these actions is therefore to make the voice of the Congolese people heard and to guarantee that the elections are held in a democratic and transparent environment.