Welcome to the Fatshimétrie blog, your source of information on current events in the Democratic Republic of Congo and around the world. Today, we will address an important subject: the recent decision of the Independent National Electoral Commission (CENI) to cancel the national and provincial legislative elections in certain constituencies due to fraud and corruption. This decision sparked strong reactions, notably from Moïse Katumbi Chapwe, president of Ensemble pour la République, who expressed his disapproval in a public statement.
According to Moïse Katumbi, this decision by the CENI goes against a key recommendation of the CENCO-ECC electoral observation mission, which recommended the establishment of an independent and joint commission to investigate the irregularities documented during of the electoral process. He emphasizes that the decision of the CENI, as judge in this matter, lacks objectivity and cannot replace the creation of this independent commission. According to him, it is essential to suspend the electoral process as a whole pending the creation of this commission and the end of the investigations it will carry out.
Moïse Katumbi also criticizes the haste of the CENI’s decision, calling it a headlong rush rather than a real resolution of the problems. He underlines that the CENI press release itself recognizes the numerous irregularities denounced, ranging from the illegal possession of electronic voting equipment by certain majority candidates to acts of vandalism of electoral materials and intimidation of electoral agents. These cases of irregularities, according to him, can only affect the presidential elections themselves, which raises the question of their cancellation as well.
By providing these criticisms, Moïse Katumbi highlights the importance of guaranteeing the integrity of the electoral process in the DRC. He stresses the need to create an independent and joint commission to investigate all allegations of fraud and corruption, so that the election results are accepted by all stakeholders.
In a context where trust in the electoral process is essential for the stability and legitimacy of the country, it is crucial that all legitimate concerns are taken into account. The transparency, impartiality and integrity of the electoral process are fundamental pillars of democracy and must be preserved at all costs.
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