Press review of Thursday October 19, 2023: One month before the official start of the electoral campaign in the Democratic Republic of Congo
The newspapers published this Thursday, October 19 take stock of the electoral process in the Democratic Republic of Congo, one month before the official start of the campaign for the general elections scheduled for December 20.
The tabloid La Tempête des Tropiques underlines that the electoral campaign has already launched early, despite the fact that the Superior Council of Audiovisual and Communication (CSAC) has already called on several media outlets to put an end to this practice. The newspaper denounces this electoral pre-campaign as a form of cheating.
Another problem raised by La Tempête des Tropiques concerns the mobility of candidates. The national company Congo Airways faces a problem with aircraft availability, which could pose travel difficulties for candidates in remote regions of the country.
In its article entitled “The typology of candidates and potential for electoral victory”, the newspaper La Prospérité presents an analysis established by Hubert Kabasu Babu Katulondi, writer and president of Agir New Congo. According to this expert, many candidates have published electoral programs that do not meet standards and are based on illusory budgets. He calls for a reinvention of electoralism in the Democratic Republic of Congo, in order to break with regressive practices.
The Minister of the Interior, Peter Kazadi, affirmed in Le Potentiel that security measures will be reinforced in the regions of Rutshuru, Masisi and Kwamouth to ensure the smooth running of the electoral process. Police units will be deployed to occupy these territories previously occupied by negative forces.
L’Avenir reports a “positive note” from the mission of the Electoral Advisory Council of the SADC (Southern African Development Community) in the Democratic Republic of Congo. This mission aimed to assess the political and security conditions in the country for the holding of free, fair and transparent elections on December 20.
In conclusion, one month before the official start of the electoral campaign in the Democratic Republic of Congo, the media are reporting concerns related to the early electoral pre-campaign, the mobility of candidates, the strengthening of security and the assessment of conditions political and security in view of the upcoming elections. The electoral process in the DRC remains an important subject, with major stakes for the future of the country.