The Democratic Republic of the Congo is preparing for its next electoral cycle which will take place in December. The Independent National Electoral Commission (CENI) has closed the period for receiving candidacies for the national legislative elections, with more than 20,000 candidacies received. However, these figures are questionable, as some major political forces boycotted the electoral process.
Despite these doubts, the electoral process is underway. It is interesting to note a persistent tradition in the DRC, that of placing family members as candidates’ deputies. This is supported by article 116 of the electoral law which stipulates that the substitute can replace the deputy in the event of death, resignation or other obstacles.
But this tradition sometimes goes beyond family ties. Some candidates prefer to line up their close family members rather than members of their own political formation, in order to preserve the advantages granted to deputies in a restricted family circle. We thus observe a situation where personal interests prevail over political aspirations.
For example, in Kwango constituency, the 81-year-old president of the national assembly is running for the fourth time. And to ensure his political succession, he appointed his son as first deputy. In other cases, candidates field their own children or other close family members.
However, it is interesting to note that some candidates, who advocated the non-alignment of family members in elections, also succumbed to this practice. This is the case of candidate Delly Sesanga, who had previously criticized nepotism in politics, but ended up fielding two members of his own family as alternates.
It is important to emphasize that this practice risks transforming the Republic into a kind of family monarchy, thus contradicting democratic principles and the desire to promote meritocracy in politics.
In conclusion, the tradition of fielding family members as substitutes in legislative elections in the DRC persists, although it is criticized by some. This practice raises questions about the promotion of clientelism and nepotism in politics. It is essential to ensure that the elections are conducted in a democratic and transparent manner, giving each candidate an equal chance to present themselves and defend their ideas, regardless of their family ties