The Democratic Republic of the Congo is preparing for general elections in December 2023. Despite this, the political climate is tense to say the least, as evidenced by the recent demonstrations organized by part of the opposition.
The movement, notably made up of Ensemble pour la République by Moïse Katumbi, ECiDé by Martin Fayulu, LGD by Matata Ponyo and Envol by Delly Sesanga, denounces a chaotic electoral process that could favor the re-election of the current president, Tshisekedi.
The peaceful rally organized by the movement was repressed by the police, sparking strong reactions on social networks. In response, the former coordinator of the National Monitoring Mechanism of the Addis Ababa Framework Agreement, Claude Ibalanky, proposed to limit access to social networks for reasons of national security.
This proposal is not new in the Democratic Republic of Congo, where internet access has already been cut off by the government on several occasions.
It is therefore important to remain vigilant on the evolution of the Congolese political situation and on any future restrictions concerning access to social networks. The latter are playing an increasingly important role in disseminating information and mobilizing citizens, particularly in countries where the press is often muzzled.
It is therefore crucial to protect freedom of expression and to ensure that citizens can benefit from free and open access to information.