The general elections scheduled in the Democratic Republic of Congo in December 2023 raise concerns about the government’s ability to finance the electoral process. Adolphe Muzito, former prime minister and current leader of the Nouvel Élan political party, shares this concern.
According to Muzito, the government does not have the necessary financial means to respect its commitments to the Independent National Electoral Commission (CENI). In particular, he points to a discrepancy between the rate of disbursement of funds and the needs of the CENI for the purchase of equipment and the clearance of arrears due to personnel.
Despite the USD 530 million already allocated to the CENI, Prime Minister Sama Lukonde remains optimistic that general elections will be held in December 2023. However, the challenges are numerous and security in the east of the country remains tense.
In addition, the political and social situation in the country is worrying. Armed militias continue to sow terror in certain provinces and political actors are detained for illegal possession of weapons of war.
Overall, the success of the general elections in the DRC will depend on the government’s ability to mobilize financial resources and guarantee security throughout the territory. Challenges raised during the African Union summit in May 2023 where insecurity in the DRC was on the table of the issues examined.
Finally, the organization of elections is a crucial element for the political stability and development of the DRC. It is therefore essential that the government take the necessary steps to overcome the obstacles in order to ensure a transparent, credible and peaceful election.
Beyond this situation, the DRC is full of economic potential that its geoeconomic repositioning could boost. The digitization of different sectors, including transport, health, energy and agriculture, is an area where the DRC could easily excel. For example, setting up an efficient electronic payment system would boost the business ecosystem across the country and open up growth prospects for local populations by facilitating their access to financial services.