Title: “The candidacy of Moïse Katumbi for the presidential election of the DRC: A look back at the difficulties encountered during the submission of the file”
Introduction :
The electoral process in the Democratic Republic of Congo is currently at the heart of concerns. Candidates are actively preparing to submit their candidacy files for the presidential election. In this context, Moïse Katumbi, former governor of Katanga, also announced his intention to run. However, when submitting his file to the Independent National Electoral Commission (CENI), difficulties arose, giving rise to questions and reactions. Decryption.
The incomplete application file:
On Tuesday, Moïse Katumbi’s team went to the CENI to submit its application file. However, to everyone’s surprise, some essential documents were missing. More precisely, the extract from the criminal record and the certificate of nationality were not present in their original version, but only in certified copies. However, the CENI expressly required the originals to authenticate the file.
The arguments of the Katumbi camp:
Faced with this situation, those close to Moïse Katumbi tried to minimize the incident. According to them, it was a simple administrative formality and these missing documents should not call into question the candidacy of their leader. They assured that the complete file would be submitted the next day, with all the originals requested by the CENI. They also declared that they did not want to argue on this issue and remained confident about the validation of Moïse Katumbi’s candidacy.
Compliance with electoral legislation:
It is important to emphasize that this procedure for submitting an incomplete file complies with the electoral legislation in force in the Democratic Republic of Congo. All applications are treated in the same way and CENI requirements aim to ensure the transparency and authenticity of the documents submitted. Thus, it is essential that candidates strictly comply with the terms and conditions imposed by the body responsible for organizing the elections.
Conclusion :
The episode of the submission of Moïse Katumbi’s candidacy file to the CENI raises questions about the administrative requirements and procedural constraints during the elections. Although these difficulties may seem trivial, they nevertheless show the importance of scrupulously respecting electoral rules, even in their administrative dimension. The next few days will be decisive in knowing whether Moïse Katumbi’s candidacy will be validated, but already, this incident highlights the issues and challenges linked to the preparation of a presidential candidacy in the DRC.