With general elections scheduled in three months in the Democratic Republic of Congo, the Electoral Commission recently held consultations with various stakeholders. For three days, at the People’s Palace in Kinshasa, political parties, civil society, associations of women, young people and people living with disabilities had the opportunity to discuss various subjects linked to the electoral process.
More than 900 political parties and groups participated in these discussions. The electoral commission addressed topics such as the publication of electoral lists, the mapping of polling stations, the accreditations of witnesses, observers and journalists, as well as the voting and counting process, including the use of the voting machine. .
The objective of the Electoral Commission is to provide maximum information to stakeholders in order to ensure the transparency and credibility of the electoral process. Other consultations are also planned in the coming weeks, particularly before the start of the electoral campaign scheduled for November 19.
However, some parts of the opposition chose not to participate in these consultations. Martin Fayulu’s party, for example, is demanding a new audit of the electoral register before re-entering the process. For its part, the camp of former President Joseph Kabila is boycotting the upcoming elections.
The Electoral Commission also warned of the underfunding of the electoral process. Financial resources, using bank loans to continue their operations. However, the President of the Commission assured that this did not yet affect the election schedule.
It is important to note that the Democratic Republic of Congo has not appealed to international donors for funds for these elections, raising concerns about the government’s ability to organize fair and transparent elections.
In conclusion, these consultations of the Electoral Commission in view of the general elections in the Democratic Republic of Congo aim to ensure the participation of all stakeholders and to guarantee the smooth running of the electoral process. However, challenges remain, particularly in terms of financing and the participation of certain opposition factions. It remains to be seen how these questions will be resolved in the coming months.