The National Council for Monitoring the Agreement and the Electoral Process (CNSA) in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) has drawn up a 34-page report, sent to President Félix Tshisekedi via his chief of staff in April 2023. This content reports consultations with the country’s political and social forces, with the aim of consolidating national cohesion and unity. The results of these consultations showed that the current governance in the DRC has created castes aimed at locking and controlling power in ways that foster sectarianism, nepotism, tribalism, regionalism, clientelism, selfishness and egocentrism. .
The report indicates that the recent appointments in the portfolio, the judiciary, the diplomacy and the small territorial have created a flagrant imbalance in the DRC going against the principle of geopolitical balance in the appointments, enshrined in the preamble of the Constitution . The grassroots communities consulted felt that the current holders of power pursue only their personal enrichment rather than the consolidation of the state and national unity.
This report also highlights the family and community management of public affairs in the DRC, which excludes national representativeness in appointments. The personalities consulted underlined that the tribalization of the administration is commonplace, particularly in the sectors of finance, customs posts, mines, migrations, territories and municipalities with mining royalties.
The Kasaian community is overrepresented, causing a feeling of hegemony and frustrations.
These observations prompted the various political and social forces consulted to recommend that the DRC authorities correct certain inequalities in terms of appointments, so as to restore social cohesion.
The conclusions are clear: if nothing is done before the 2023 elections, the country could return the image of a boiling volcano.
In short, the question of national unity is crucial for the DRC. But it requires very real political choices to be made, which will take into account the current imbalances, if we wish to avoid a new period of instability.