The Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) is six months away from general elections scheduled for December 2023. However, the political situation is tense, according to the Independent National Electoral Commission (CENI). A fringe of the Congolese opposition, made up of Ensemble pour la République by Moïse Katumbi, ECiDé by Martin Fayulu, LGD by Matata Ponyo and Envol by Delly Sesanga, demonstrated against the electoral process, which they consider to be “chaotic”. The demonstrators denounce the preparation of a new electoral hold-up in favor of the current president, Tshisekedi.
The protests began on May 20 and were suppressed by law enforcement. This action sparked a wave of reactions, both nationally and internationally. Videos of the disproportionate use of force against peaceful protesters, including a minor, were widely shared on social media, sparking public outcry.
On his Twitter account, Claude Ibalanky said that social networks have a real impact on the country’s politics, march and security. He therefore wondered whether Congo should not adopt the same measures as China and other countries by restricting access, in the name of national security.
However, internet shutdowns or restrictions are nothing new in the DRC. Under former President Joseph Kabila, the government had ordered internet shutdowns on several occasions, such as the one that took place on December 31, 2018. Internet access and text messages were cut off the day after the general elections, on instructions from the government . Internet users began to broadcast on Twitter and WhatsApp the results of the vote counting of certain offices, making projections on the victory of their candidates.
Blocking commonly used social media platforms and severely limiting traffic to specific sites are access methods often used by authorities.
All these measures restrict freedom of expression and citizen participation in the political life of the country. Governments must find ways to ensure national security without undermining people’s basic rights.
The political tension in the DRC should not prevent the expression of democracy and the electoral participation of citizens. Information and communication technologies must be levers of development and freedom, not tools of repression and censorship