The Independent National Electoral Commission (CENI) recently took an important decision by extending the date for the filing and processing of applications for national deputy in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC). This announcement, which comes after difficulties encountered during these operations, aims to guarantee the participation of all candidates and to ensure the smooth running of the electoral process.
According to a press release published by the CENI, some reception and application processing offices failed to register all the application files within the time originally planned. Faced with this situation, the seven-day extension will allow independent candidates, political parties and political groups to scan the necessary forms and send them electronically to their representatives in each electoral district.
However, the CENI would like to point out that only academic titles must be subject to a compliant certification, in accordance with the electoral law in force. If this certification is lacking, a certificate justifying a professional experience of at least five years may suffice. Furthermore, the electoral body also stresses the importance of respecting the eligibility criteria as defined by article 10 of the electoral law, in particular with regard to civil servants and agents of the public administration who must provide request letter for leave.
The CENI also provides for subsequent stages in the electoral process, such as the addition, withdrawal or substitution of candidate files, the publication of the provisional lists of candidates for national deputies, as well as the filing and processing of appeals challenging the candidate lists. These steps will be carried out within the deadlines set by the electoral calendar established by the CENI.
Despite the challenges encountered, the CENI reaffirms its desire to respect the constitutional deadlines for the organization of legislative, provincial, municipal and presidential elections in the DRC.
This decision to extend the date of operations for filing and processing candidacies shows the importance given to transparency and inclusiveness in the electoral process in the DRC. It will enable candidates to participate fully and fairly in this crucial stage in the democratic life of the country. Hopefully this will help build citizens’ confidence in the electoral process and support free and fair elections in the DRC.