The consultation framework between the Independent National Electoral Commission (CENI) and the Superior Council of the Judiciary (CSM) of the Democratic Republic of Congo closed its work on Friday, June 2, 2023 in Kinshasa. This meeting was organized with the support of the International Foundation for Electoral Systems (IFES).
During these three days of reflection, the participants, made up of expert lawyers and magistrates of the judiciary, discussed various subjects with a view to clarifying the electoral legal framework. The objective was to harmonize the interpretations for a coherent and harmonious application between the CENI and the CSM.
The 2nd Vice-President of the CENI, Didi Manara Linga, underlined the importance of the management of electoral disputes for the elections and recalled that the final decision rests with the competent electoral jurisdictions. CSM legal practitioners have also recognized that Congolese law organizes three types of electoral disputes: disputes over electoral lists, disputes over candidacies and disputes over results. As far as the electoral system is concerned, it is the multi-member proportional system.
The Deputy Country Director of IFES, Rino KAMIDI, reaffirmed his institution’s commitment to support the CENI in the organization of the general elections scheduled for December 2023.
Despite these advances, witnesses from political parties and groups decried the lack of transparency in previous elections. The availability of the minutes of the various results at the end of the vote is a crucial element for the credibility of the electoral process.
In short, this meeting made it possible to clarify certain legal aspects and to promote better collaboration between the CENI and the CSM. This should contribute to the organization of more transparent and credible elections for the Congolese people.