The Forum of Stakeholders in the Electoral Process recently underlined the importance for the Congolese government to put in place adequate security measures in view of the 2023 elections. Indeed, the security crisis in the east of the country, fueled by the presence of armed groups and negative forces, poses a significant threat to the conduct of the elections scheduled for December.
Participants in this forum, including political parties, civil society, the Independent National Electoral Commission (CENI) and the Constitutional Court, highlighted the challenges posed by armed groups in the east of the country, the Mobondo phenomenon in the west and the kidnappings in Kinshasa. This potential instability could compromise the ongoing electoral process.
During these meetings, which were organized by several international organizations such as NDI, IRI, UNDP and The Carter Center, participants were also made aware of the risk of misinformation and hate speech during the election period. Combating disinformation therefore becomes an additional challenge to be met in order to guarantee the transparency and credibility of the electoral process.
It is important to note that the forum ended with the intervention of the president of the CENI, Denis Kadima, who drew up an inventory of the current electoral process in the country.
It is essential for the Congolese government to take these concerns seriously and put in place concrete measures to ensure the security of the 2023 elections. The stability of the country and the confidence of citizens in the democratic process depend on it.
In conclusion, the security crisis in the Democratic Republic of Congo is a major challenge for the conduct of the next elections. The fight against armed groups, disinformation and hate speech should be a priority to ensure peaceful, free and credible elections