Citizen mobilization is a powerful weapon for demanding democratic and participatory governance in the Democratic Republic of Congo. Acting for Transparent and Peaceful Elections (AETA) is an electoral civil society platform that launched a workshop to train civil society organizations on mass mobilization strategies during electoral periods. The objective of this training is to encourage trade union movements, religious denominations and citizens’ movements to participate actively in political life and to defend their interests in the context of elections.
The demands relate essentially to the electoral process, the financing of the elections, the development of a credible and uncorrupted electoral register for the electoral lists, the equitable distribution of seats respecting the legal and sociological specificities of each ballot, and the mobilization of the electorate. AETA’s permanent secretary, Jérôme Bonso, underlines that “strategy resides in the planning of actions to be carried out on the ground. How should we behave vis-à-vis the political parties, vis-à-vis the power organizing the elections? »
This movement for democratic governance is attracting the support of many civil society organisations. The actors on the ground are mobilizing to actively participate in the elections and claim their rights. Congolese civil society is organizing to make its voice heard and ensure that the December 2023 elections are transparent, free and credible.
However, the security situation in certain regions of the DRC remains worrying. The massacres in North Kivu and the tensions in Kamako, where the Anamongo community is under threat, show the urgency of implementing peaceful and lasting solutions. The Fight for Change (Lucha) calls for an end to foreign military operations and the establishment of a peaceful solution to guarantee the safety of civilian populations.
Faced with these challenges, citizen mobilization is more necessary than ever to guarantee democratic and participatory governance. Civil society organizations must continue to train local actors and encourage citizen participation to build a more transparent and fairer society