The Citizen Audit of the Electoral Register in DR Congo: An Initiative to Reassure All Stakeholders
Four months before the general elections in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), the Electoral Observation Mission of the National Episcopal Conference of Congo (CENCO) and the Church of Christ in Congo (ECC), also known as MOE CENCO-ECC, announced its intention to carry out a “citizen audit” of the electoral register. This initiative aims to restore the confidence of all political actors and to ensure “honest and peaceful” elections.
Since its creation, the electoral register has been strongly criticized by the opposition and part of civil society because of its lack of reliability and transparency. The external audit carried out by experts recruited by the Independent National Electoral Commission (CENI) was disputed, raising doubts about possible electoral fraud orchestrated by the electoral center and the Tshisekedi regime.
In order to dispel these doubts and restore the confidence of all actors, the EOM CENCO-ECC therefore proposes to conduct a citizen audit of the electoral register, in collaboration with the CENI itself. This approach aims to create an independent and transparent verification process, making it possible to guarantee the integrity of the electoral register and to promote the acceptance of the results by all stakeholders.
The methodology proposed for this audit involves the close collaboration of the CENI and MOE CENCO-ECC teams. A representative sample will be selected to verify in the field the accuracy of the data in the electoral register. This verification will be done in two phases: first, by comparing the people present in the CENI database with those encountered in the field, then by selecting another sample of people not included in the first sample for a new verification. in the database.
It is important to emphasize that this work will be done in close collaboration with the CENI, and that the report resulting from this audit will be intended for the CENI itself. The EOM CENCO-ECC and the CENI will work together on the communication of the results of this audit, so as not to compromise the implementation of the electoral calendar.
In addition to the citizen audit of the electoral register, the MOE CENCO-ECC also offers an observation of the voting process based on a sample. This method, called “Sample Based Observation”, is widely used by civil society organizations to independently verify official election results. It ensures better acceptance of the results by the public.
The MOE CENCO-ECC underlines the importance of the collaboration with the CENI for the realization of this work. A memorandum of understanding may be established to guarantee the transparency and honesty of the results that will be published.. In addition, the electoral center will have access to the call center of the EOM CENCO-ECC to observe the observation process. Election informants from political parties will also be invited to participate as observers.
It is important to note that the report of this observation will be intended primarily for the CENI, which will be able to compare the data of the MOE CENCO-ECC with its own. The report will only be made public after the official results are published by the CENI.
By conducting this citizen audit of the electoral roll and setting up independent observation of the voting process, the EOM CENCO-ECC wishes to contribute to the transparency and integrity of the electoral process in DR Congo. This initiative aims to build trust between the various stakeholders and ensure democratic and peaceful elections for the good of the country and its people.