News: Candidatures of relatives of CENI officials in the legislative elections in the DRC
In a recent letter addressed to the president of the Independent National Electoral Commission (CENI) in the Democratic Republic of Congo, the coordinator of the NGO Congolese Association for Access to Justice (ACAJ), Georges Kapiamba, sharply criticized the candidacies of close relatives of CENI officials in the national legislative elections.
This denunciation follows the revelations of the African Commission for the Supervision of Elections (CASE) which raised this issue. Some CENI members, such as Quaestor Mr. Agée Matembo Toto, Plenary Member Mr. Roger Bimwala, 2nd Vice President Mr. Didi Manara, Plenary Member Mrs. Joséphine Ngalula and National Executive Secretary Mr. Mabiku Totokani, were accused of having their close relatives run for national legislative elections.
ACAJ believes that this situation undermines the trust and transparency sought by the CENI. Moreover, it reinforces the suspicions formulated by certain political forces. The association therefore recommends that the CENI take urgent measures to eliminate candidates subject to conflicts of interest. If these applications are validated, the ACAJ threatens to take legal action to assert its rights.
According to Georges Kapiamba, these CENI officials find themselves in a situation of conflict of interest, by favoring the personal or family interests of their relatives. This situation goes against the oath of office taken by the members of the CENI office.
The official publication of the provisional lists of candidates for the national legislative elections is scheduled for early August. This case highlights the importance of ensuring fairness and objectivity in the electoral process in the DRC, in order to restore trust among all stakeholders.
It is essential to preserve the transparency and credibility of elections, by eliminating conflicts of interest that could be detrimental to the smooth running of the democratic process. CENI’s responsibility in this matter is therefore crucial to ensuring fair and representative elections.
The current situation highlights the importance of the vigilance of civil society and human rights organizations, such as ACAJ, in monitoring and exposing abuses and unethical behavior in the electoral field.
The stakes are high for the CENI, which must take appropriate measures to guarantee the selection of candidates based on criteria of competence, integrity and representativeness, in order to ensure the legitimacy of the electoral process and the confidence of Congolese citizens