RD Congo Set For Decisive Elections

By Badylon Kawanda Bakiman

 The electoral campaign came to an almost peaceful close at midnight on Monday December 18, 2023, throughout the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC). The month-long campaign began on November 19. It includes presidential and legislative elections, and for the first time, local and municipal elections.

This time around, there were no major disturbances compared with 2018. Some of the country's presidential candidates were busy criss-crossing some of the country's 26 provinces.

"What I regret is the fact that the government or several political parties did not entrust financial means to the presidential candidates or to the national and provincial deputy candidates to do this work. In short, over 60% of candidates did not campaign. This must not be repeated at the next opportunity", laments Jean Ngunga, a human rights activist based in Kikwit in the south-west of the DRC.

For its part, the Independent National Electoral Commission (CENI) has invited all voters to go to the polling stations this Wednesday, December 20, to perform their civic duty.

The Press Release issued by the Central Electoral Office the day before yesterday states that all polling stations will open at 6am and close at 5pm.

For its part, the Southern African Development Community (SADC) has deployed its observers in 18 of the DRC's 26 provinces.