Moïse Katumbi’s candidacy file for the presidential election of the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) encountered an obstacle when it was submitted to the Independent National Electoral Commission (CENI). Indeed, the Katumbi team presented itself with photocopies of the required documents, while the CENI required the originals to proceed with their authentication.
According to those close to Moïse Katumbi, two essential documents from the file, namely the extract from the criminal record and the certificate of nationality, were missing. Katumbi’s emissaries had brought certified copies, but the CENI insisted that the originals be presented to validate the candidacy.
Faced with this situation, the Katumbi camp assured that it would return the next day with the complete file. Hervé Diakese, a member of the Katumbi team, declared: “We brought certified copies of the originals, and they demand the originals from us. In itself, this poses no problem for us. It is a simple administrative formality. This does not give rise to any legal consequences, we are not going to argue about it. We will file tomorrow peacefully.”
It is important to emphasize that this procedure complies with current electoral legislation and that all applications are treated in the same way. This is a measure aimed at ensuring the integrity and transparency of the electoral process.
It therefore remains to be seen if Moïse Katumbi will be able to present his complete file and if his candidacy will be validated by the CENI. In any case, this situation demonstrates the strict steps to follow to stand as a candidate for a presidential election in the DRC.