Title: Civil society organizations call for electoral transparency in the Democratic Republic of Congo
Introduction :
The Independent National Electoral Commission (CENI) of the Democratic Republic of Congo is facing new demands from civil society organizations. The latter are demanding the publication of the list of polling stations which operated in violation of the electoral law during the elections of December 2023. In a press release published recently, these organizations stressed the importance of only taking into account the results of polling stations having respected legal standards.
Irregularities observed:
The irregularities noted by civil society organizations during the December 2023 elections are serious and numerous. Among them, failure to respect the deadline for deployment of electoral kits in certain polling stations, as well as their possession by unqualified people, in collusion with certain CENI agents. Cases of ballot stuffing were also reported, as well as parallel votes held in non-compliant locations. These practices call into question the transparency of the electoral process and the validity of the results.
Demands from civil society organizations:
Faced with these irregularities, civil society organizations, including the Council of the Apostolate of Catholic Laymen of Congo (CALCC) and the panel of civil society experts, expressed their demand for the cancellation of the December 2023 elections. They demand that only votes cast in polling stations that meet legal standards be taken into account, and that results from polling stations in violation of electoral law be ignored.
The challenge of electoral transparency:
The demand from civil society organizations calls for greater transparency in the electoral process in the Democratic Republic of Congo. The publication of the list of polling stations in violation of the law would be a first step towards this much sought-after transparency. It is essential that Congolese citizens can have confidence in their electoral system, in order to guarantee free, fair and democratic elections.
Conclusion :
Civil society organizations in the Democratic Republic of Congo continue to mobilize to demand transparency and integrity of the electoral process. The publication of the list of polling stations in violation of the electoral law is one way of responding to this request. It is crucial that the Congolese authorities take these demands into account and act accordingly in order to restore citizens’ confidence in the country’s electoral system.