The Rule of Law in the Democratic Republic of Congo: A Persistent Challenge for Justice Reform
Since coming to power more than four years ago, the President of the Democratic Republic of Congo, Félix Tshisekedi, has been committed to establishing the rule of law in the country. However, despite the stated desire to fill the gaps in the Congolese judicial system, the objective still seems difficult to achieve.
In a recent interview, the Head of State expressed his disappointment with the record of justice during his tenure. He underlined the importance of the independence of the judiciary and affirmed that he had never intervened in judicial cases. However, he acknowledged that justice in the DRC needed reform. Criticism of the judiciary has multiplied, with accusations of instrumentalization of justice to suppress opponents.
The observation of the weakness of Congolese justice is not new. Already in October 2022, during a meeting of the Council of Ministers, President Tshisekedi had stressed the need to strengthen public governance and the rule of law through more rational judicial action. He had deplored judicial decisions dictated by chance, which compromise trust between the people and justice.
Faced with these challenges, President Tshisekedi called on the Superior Council of the Judiciary to act and to propose rapid solutions. He also insisted on the role of the General Inspectorate of Judicial and Penitentiary Services in supporting the Ministry of Justice.
Despite these calls for action, the situation of the Congolese justice system remains worrying. The persistent dysfunctions compromise access to impartial justice and reinforce the population’s distrust of the judicial system.
To overcome these challenges, it is essential to put in place structural reforms that guarantee independent, efficient and fair justice. This requires cooperation between actors in the judicial system, as well as a strong political will to promote the rule of law.
In conclusion, justice reform in the Democratic Republic of Congo remains a major challenge for President Tshisekedi. Despite its efforts and its calls for action, dysfunctions persist and compromise access to impartial and fair justice. To truly establish the rule of law, structural reforms are necessary, as well as a constant political will to fill the gaps in the Congolese judicial system