The march for credible and transparent elections in the DRC
On July 29, Martin Fayulu and his supporters will take to the streets of Kinshasa, the capital of the Democratic Republic of Congo, to demand “credible, free, transparent, impartial, peaceful and inclusive” elections. This peaceful demonstration also aims to demand an audit of the electoral register by an independent international body.
The Commitment for Citizenship and Development (ECiDé), a party led by Martin Fayulu, considers this audit to be an essential condition for inclusive elections. According to them, the Congolese people will not accept any election in the DRC without an electoral register audited by a reputable independent body.
Martin Fayulu, presidential candidate of 2018, accuses President Denis Kadima, the Independent National Electoral Commission (CENI) and the regime in place of preparing a new electoral fraud in the DRC. According to him, the external audit of the electoral register would make it possible to assess the integrity and inclusiveness of the data collected, to verify their compliance with the laws and regulations of the DRC and to guarantee the confidence of all stakeholders.
In the absence of a “reliable” file audited by an independent body, Martin Fayulu announced that his party would not file any candidacies for the next elections. He refuses to support possible electoral fraud and even mentioned the possibility of activating article 64 of the constitution to defeat any form of dictatorship.
It is undeniable that the external audit of the electoral register would play a crucial role in the electoral process in the DRC. By ensuring the integrity and transparency of data, it would help build trust and ensure the credibility of elections. This is a legitimate request from Martin Fayulu and ECiDé, which reflects the will of the Congolese people to have fair and democratic elections.
The July 29 march in Kinshasa will therefore be an opportunity for Martin Fayulu and his supporters to make their voices heard and to recall the importance of an external audit of the electoral register. Hopefully this peaceful protest will advance the cause of democracy in the DRC and lead to truly free and fair elections