Unappointed magistrate candidates: a worrying situation in the Democratic Republic of Congo
The appointment of magistrates in the Democratic Republic of Congo is once again the subject of controversy. Indeed, several dozen magistrate candidates claim not to have been appointed despite having passed the recruitment competition organized by the Superior Council of the Judiciary in October 2022.
According to a collective of magistrate candidates, they would have been omitted from the presidential orders of June 6, 2023, and unknown people would have been fraudulently added to the list of appointments. These candidates have lodged appeals with the Superior Council of the Judiciary, but have received no response so far.
Faced with this situation, the candidates are mobilizing and seeking to make their voices heard. They ask to be restored to their rights and demand explanations of the reasons for their non-appointment. They insist on the fact that they passed the competition and were on the list of magistrates to be proposed to the President of the Republic.
The permanent secretary of the Superior Council of the Judiciary, Telesor Kilima, reacted by asking the candidates to go to the secretariat of the Superior Council of the Judiciary to discuss their appeals.
This situation highlights the persistent problems in the judicial appointment process in the Democratic Republic of the Congo. It raises questions about the transparency and fairness of this process, as well as the need to strengthen control and monitoring mechanisms.
It is essential to ensure the independence and integrity of the judiciary, ensuring that judges are appointed on the basis of objective criteria and not subject to political influence. Only an independent and impartial judiciary can guarantee citizens’ confidence in the judicial system and contribute to the rule of law in the country.
It is therefore essential that the competent authorities take the claims of unappointed magistrate candidates seriously and provide clear explanations of the reasons for their exclusion. This situation must be resolved in a fair and transparent manner, in order to preserve the integrity of the judicial system and restore the confidence of citizens in the administration of justice