During the counting of the presidential elections in the Democratic Republic of Congo, incidents were recorded in certain polling stations. According to a preliminary report from the Citizen View Electoral Observation Mission, around 18% of the polling stations observed experienced problems, mainly linked to the lack of electricity and tensions on site.
The vote took place over several days, with some offices open on Wednesday, others on Thursday, and still others on Friday. Some offices were even open on Saturday and Sunday to accommodate latecomers. However, in the stations where voting ended, incidents broke out during the counting.
The Regard Citoyen report indicates that these incidents were often linked to the lack of electricity and the tensions present in the polling stations. Cases of intimidation against polling station members were also reported, sometimes coming from other polling station members, witnesses from political parties or even the population.
Furthermore, the report highlights that in 78% of the polling stations observed, the candidates’ or parties’ witnesses received a copy of the counting results. However, in 13% of polling stations, the number of people who signed on the voting list was not counted.
The first partial results of the presidential election have been announced, with a vote by Congolese in the diaspora in five countries. These results largely favored Félix Tshisekedi, outgoing president and candidate for his own succession. However, the opposition contests the credibility of these elections and calls for their cancellation.
In total, the Electoral Observation Mission received 960 observation reports covering the entire electoral process and documenting the incidents that occurred. Regard Citoyen observers submitted 24,004 observation reports and visited 9,094 polling stations during election days.
This situation once again highlights the important issues related to holding transparent and fair elections. It is essential to guarantee a calm atmosphere in polling stations and to prevent any act of intimidation or fraud. By continuing efforts to improve the conduct of elections, the Democratic Republic of Congo will be able to strengthen citizens’ confidence in the democratic process and consolidate the country’s political stability.