How Congolese are preparing for December 20 elections as President Tshisekedi seeks second term

In December 2018, millions of voters in the Democratic Republic of Congo participated in an election that saw the country witness the first peaceful transfer of state power since independence in 1960.

Felix Tshisekedi is the first President to be elected into power to replace a retiring leader when he took over from Joseph Kabila who had been in power since the assassination of his father Laurent Desire Kabila on January 16, 2001.

DR Congo, the second largest country on the continent of Africa has had only five Presidents since independence. First President Joseph Kasavuvu who was elected at independence was deposed by Mobutu Sese Seko in November 1965. Mubuto who ruled the country with an iron fist even changed the name of the country from the Republic of Congo to Zaire. His rule came to an end on May 16, 1997 after Kabila’s rebels successful captured Kinshasa after years of fighting.

Kabila would then rename the country as the Democratic Republic of Congo. However just 3 years and 244 days into his reign, Kabila was assassinated by his guard before the country would see the organization of elections to return the power to civilian leadership. He would then be succeeded by his son Joseph who went on to rule the country for 18 years until the constitutional provision caught up with him not seek re-election in 2018.

The Independent National Electoral Commission (CENI), whose president is Denis Kadima Kazadi is currently finalizing plans to have elections on December 20 where President Tshisekedi is eligible to run for the second and final term in office. This election is likely to be watched with a keen eye by the international community and the Congolese influential Catholic Church after the 2018 elections were marred with violence and claims of irregularities.

Speaking at the Forum of stakeholders in the 2023-2024 process organized in the marquee of Pullman Hotel in Kinshasa on July 6, CENI president Kadima assured the Congolese that the December elections will be successfully held.

“On December 20, 2023, we will have elections in this country. Technically, we are ready. Our difficulties are security and financial. Political parties need to know that elections are won when you prepare. The winner will be the winner, there will be no chosen ones. For the Offices of Reception and Processing of Applications (BRTC), we are not going to extend”, said Kadima.

Martin Fayulu, the runner-up in the 2018 elections has continued not to recognize Tshisekedi as President and has started from where he stopped, as he patches holes in the ongoing process. Through several statements at public rallies and on social media, Fayulu has attacked CENI for planning to rig the elections for the incumbent by exaggerating the number of voters on the roll.

Fayulu is likely to be joined by another key opposition figure, Moise Katumbi  to challenge President Tshisekedi for the top job come December. Katumbi is a wealthy politician and businessman who was a governor for the Katanga province.

Fayulu who heads the Engagement for Citizenship and Development Party, informed the world in a statement to Al Jazeera that the Congolese were heading for “another sham election” because it comes at a time when the country is in a “deteriorating state”.

“We are profoundly concerned about a number of issues that, if left unaddressed, will severely compromise the integrity of the upcoming election, scheduled for December. The problems are evident, and alarm bells are mounting.” He wrote in an opinion published on April 30.

He also accused CENI of failing to meet its voter registration responsibilities because it declared that it has enrolled nearly 47 million Congolese out of an estimated 49 million eligible voters.

“There aren’t many people in the DRC who believe these figures to be credible, not least because of the fact that they were not broken down by electoral district” added Fayulu who has been calling for an international audit of the voters’ register.

On Thursday, the opposition leader issued a statement on Twitter in which he said the CENI does not want to open its files for audit because of fear to be exposed on the exaggerated voters’ register.

The CENI is afraid of the external audit of the electoral register, by a reputable independent body, so as not to be unmasked. She knows that her file contains millions of fictitious voters. An electoral process is a process of sincerity and the truth of the ballot box begins with a reliable electoral file” he stated.

Kabila’s preferred successor, Emmanuel Ramanzani Shadary who was among the 21 presidential candidates in 2018 remains silent on plans for return to the ballot come December 20. Likewise, incumbent Tshisekedi has not been commenting about the next elections as he puts more efforts on linking DR Congo with the international community. Now a former Chairman of the African Union, Tshisekedi last year successfully made a move for DR Congo to join the East African Community.

The East African Legislative Assembly (EALA) the legislative arm of the regional block is expected to debate the DR Congo elections at its next plenary sitting next month, according to Ugandan representative, James Kakooza.

Kakooza said that because of its status as a potential bigger market for the goods produced by other EAC member states, DR Congo is a key part of the development of the region, adding that everyone wishes the country to go through a free and fair election.

“We are going to discuss it (Congolese elections) in the next plenary which we expect to be there in August or September. We are very much concerned because DRC is a gamechanger in region. It has a huge market to the region and the more they become very stable the more the region consolidates on customs union, common marker and we think with monetary union” said Kakooza.

Kakooza said the leadership of Tshisekedi is capable of ensuring that the country undergoes a peaceful, free and fair elections so that there are no violence that could hinder trade in the region.

President Tshisekedi pulled one surprise and blow to the opposition when he appointed presidential aspirant Jean-Pierre Bemba as a Minister in his cabinet reshuffle likely the last before the elections. Bemba a former war-lord and a former Vice President was appointed as Defense Minister in March this year.

His appointment was part of an overhaul of the 57 member-cabinet, which the President’s spokesperson said was “urgent and necessary”, in an announcement on national television. Presidential candidates are expected to be announced in October, with a final list due in November.