Submission of candidacies for the elections in the DRC: Closing of the operation and new steps to come
The Independent National Electoral Commission (CENI) of the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) recently closed the operation of filing and processing applications for the election of national deputies. This key stage in the electoral process was marked by a last-minute craze, with many representatives of political parties and groups having waited until the last day to file their applications.
Patricia Nseya, rapporteur for the CENI, stressed that this democracy support institution will not give new opportunities to latecomers, after the one-week extension of the application process. She recalled that the CENI must respect a strict timetable and will not be able to extend this stage indefinitely.
A new stage is now opening with the withdrawal and substitution of applications, which will only take 5 days. Then, the CENI will begin the operation of receiving candidacies for the provincial deputy and the municipal elections.
Patricia Nseya pointed out that CENI staff have been well prepared for this transition and that the delivery of tokens will not be done as during voter registration. Candidates who have not been able to submit their candidacy for the national deputy will have the opportunity to do so for the provincial deputy.
However, this closing of the operation of deposit of the candidatures intervenes in a context where the opposition denounces flagrant cases of conflict of interests between certain members of the CENI and the candidates.
It is important to emphasize that the election of national deputies in the DRC is of great importance for the political life of the country. Elected deputies will have the task of legislating and representing their constituents at the national level. This election is a crucial moment for Congolese democracy and citizens have an essential role to play in choosing the candidates who will represent them.
It should also be noted that the DRC is going through a period of political transition, with the gradual implementation of reforms aimed at strengthening democracy and the rule of law. Elections are a key part of this transition and it is essential that the electoral process takes place in a transparent, fair and inclusive manner.
As the electoral process progresses, it is crucial that citizens stay informed and engaged. It is important to closely follow political developments and actively participate in public debate. The elections offer a unique opportunity to shape the future of the country and it is essential that all political actors and civil society work together to ensure free, fair and transparent elections in the DRC..
In a next step, I will talk to you in more detail about the candidates and the challenges of the election of national deputies in the DRC. Stay tuned to learn more about political developments in this Central African country