The December 2023 elections in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) have been in the spotlight for several months already. However, recent events suggest a forced passage of the regime in place, which aims to muzzle the opposition and civil society.
Indeed, the National and Independent Electoral Commission (CENI) has been confiscated and the elections are trapped. President Félix Tshisekedi promulgated a law without taking into account the observations made by the stakeholders, thus reinforcing the pattern of the passage en force.
Among the acts of electoral forcing in the DRC, we can cite the appointment of the president of the CENI, Mr. Denis Kadima Kazadi, despite the reasonable public outcry expressed by the living forces of the nation.
Other actions have also been identified as acts aimed at muzzling the opposition and civil society, such as the fraudulent appointment of opposition delegates or the exclusion of opposition political parties from consultation frameworks and civil society organizations.
These events elicited reactions from the international community. The International Criminal Court has taken up crimes against humanity committed in North Kivu and Ituri, following the complaint filed by the DRC government. The first lady of the DRC is also committed to the protection of women and girls against gender-based violence.
The situation in the DRC remains tense ahead of the December 2023 elections. However, new initiatives have also emerged, such as the political group launched by Hyppolite Mutombo Mbwebwe or the development program to lift 25 million people out of poverty. in rural areas.
The public speech announced by former President Joseph Kabila also raised many expectations and controversies.
The DRC is a country that faces many political, social and economic challenges. The events unfolding now reflect a complex situation, but there are also actors working for a better future.