In the Democratic Republic of the Congo, legislative elections are often the scene of controversial political strategies. In this context, a surprising observation was made during the last elections: many candidates chose to field members of their family as alternates. This practice arouses various reactions and challenges political ethics.
The Independent National Electoral Commission (CENI) registered no less than 20,000 candidates for the 500 seats of national deputies to be filled in the National Assembly. Among these, many have chosen to include members of their immediate family as substitutes on their electoral list.
This phenomenon is observed throughout the country. In Kwango province, for example, candidate Doug Kulungu lined up his brother and sister as alternates. In other regions, there are wives, sons, daughters, mothers and fathers as substitutes, thus demonstrating the desire of certain candidates to ensure a succession in “family mode”.
This practice raises questions about the fairness and transparency of the electoral process. Indeed, some observers believe that it promotes clientelism and nepotism to the detriment of the best candidates. The members of the political parties concerned feel aggrieved, because they believe that this strategy is not based on the skills and political qualities of the candidates, but rather on family criteria.
Moreover, this practice can be perceived as a way for candidates to consolidate their power and ensure a certain continuity in politics. By aligning members of their family, they ensure that they maintain control over their mandate and perpetuate their influence, even in the event of impediment or resignation.
Faced with this situation, it is legitimate to ask whether this practice is in accordance with political ethics and whether it truly serves the general interest. Politics should be about skill and representation, not a way to perpetuate family dynasties.
It is therefore important to question the criteria for selecting candidates and to promote a true democracy based on merit and the collective interest. The challenge is to guarantee free and fair elections, in which each citizen has the opportunity to present themselves according to their skills and not their family ties.
Civil society and political organizations must play an active role in this debate, denouncing nepotistic practices and promoting transparency and equal opportunities. It is essential to promote candidacies based on skills, experience and political projects, in order to guarantee true representativeness and genuine generational renewal within our institutions..
In conclusion, the alignment of family members as substitutes in legislative elections in the Democratic Republic of Congo raises questions about political ethics and democratic representativeness