On the eve of the election of the Democratic Republic of Congo's next president, the electoral commission claims to have resolved key logistical difficulties. This statement confuses many observers. For both civic organizations and the powerful Catholic Church, only the transparency of the Dec. 20 voting process and recount will give legitimacy to the winner.
The scene hasn't surprised anyone for weeks. At 9 a.m. on December 18, in the already intense heat at the end of the rainy season, about 200 people waited for the opening of the CENI (Independent National Electoral Commission) office in Lemba, in the Congolese capital Kinshasa.
At around 9:30 a.m., the first arrivals were finally able to gain access to the offices to receive a precious sesame: a duplicate of their voter ID.
Nelphine, a local resident, had been waiting for two hours. “The voting card is like your ID card. You need them to go to the bank to withdraw money. It is very important for those who rely on remittances from people in Europe or the USA.”
Like millions of Congolese, his photo and identification number have been completely erased from the original.
Nelphine wants to vote in the December 20 election. To do this, you must obtain a duplicate of your voter card at your local center in Kinshasa. © David Gormezano / France 24
In a press release issued on Friday, December 15, five days before election day, the CENI urged those who did not receive a duplicate to still go to their polling station where “they will be assisted by staff.”
“We have the right to vote,” emphasizes Nelphine. “I want to vote for my candidate and we want him to have peace of mind. If people don't have their card, no one will know the outcome of the election. This is a serious problem,” he continues.
Between challenge and chaos
The organization of the elections on December 20th has become a major problem for the Democratic Republic of Congo. Many Congolese expected a postponement of the election after CENI last week stepped up its calls for operational support for the government, neighboring Angola and even Monusco, the United Nations stabilization mission in the Democratic Republic of Congo.
Monusco, which has been present in the east of the country with 12,500 peacekeepers for more than 20 years, will soon have to leave the country at the request of the Congolese government.
With two days left, CENI President Denis Kadima is confident that voting materials will be present at the 75,000 polling stations.
The election campaign was marked by the chaotic organization of the elections on December 20th by the Independent National Electoral Commission (CENI). © David Gormezano / France 24
With a budget of almost a billion dollars to organize this gigantic investigation, In addition to choosing between 26 presidential candidates, the CENI will also elect thousands of national deputies, provincial deputies and municipal councils, and has suffered setbacks.
In addition to the poor quality of voter cards, the logistics required to transport thousands of tonnes of ballot papers and electronic counting machines by air to a country covering 2.5 million square kilometers (equivalent to two-thirds of the EU) are also fragmented.
But “the real battle is the condition of the roads,” says Luc Lutala, spokesman for Symocel (Synergy of Citizen Electoral Observation Missions). More than the air resources made available to the CENI, he believes that ““The problem in the provinces is the transport (of electoral materials) between the 'centre' and the capitals of the territories.”
After returning from a field visit to Tshopo province, Lutala confirmed the presence of so-called “sensitive” material in Kisangani, the provincial capital and electoral center, but questioned the CENI's ability to get it to the territories' capitals in a timely manner.
“We are faced with a CENI that does not speak (…). If it mobilizes resources in the final spurt, it will be successful. We must believe that CENI keeps its word (…) . And on the day of the vote we will see what happens.”
Tens of thousands of observers
On Wednesday, December 20, Symocel, a coalition of a dozen Congolese civil society associations, will “deploy 22,000 observers on site to cover approximately 80% of polling stations.”
Supporters of Moïse Katumbi in Kinshasa, December 9, 2023. © David Gormezano / France 24
Paul Kabeya, spokesman for Regardcitoyen, another civic organization, also claims that there are “22,500 observers who have received training.” “The law allows any observer to be present at the local results collection center and we will be there.”
Luc Lutala believes that the election campaign was developed correctly. “It wasn't the best election campaign, but it wasn't the worst either. “Last week several candidates denounced the restrictions,” he points out.
“In Kinshasa, Martin Fayulu complained that he had been banned from entering the Martyrs' Stadium. There were clashes between supporters of one candidate or another, particularly between those of Félix Tshisekedi and those of Moïse Katumbi. There were clashes and rallies were broken up. There were also deaths.”
He believes lessons have not been learned from the 2018 elections, which helped Félix Tshisekedi, the incumbent president running for a second term, win.
“In 2023 we will of course have the same problems as in 2018, but aggravated. We believe that there is a lack of planning but also a lack of transparency so that all problems can be dealt with well in advance and in a much more professional manner.” . We believe there are real internal problems in CENI’s planning capacity,” he added.
The CENI headquarters in Kinshasa on December 15, 2023. © David Gormezano / France 24
In 2018, the electoral process and vote counting observation missions stated that their count differed greatly from the official CENI count. This gave Félix Tshisekedi the lead, while observers pointed to a big advantage for Martin Fayulu.
Fayulu, now a candidate again, continues to question the results of the last presidential election.
Although they have the authority to monitor the count, observers are not legally allowed to publish the vote count.
“Only the CENI will publish the preliminary results before the courts announce the so-called final results, which are irrevocable,” explains Paul Kabeya. “Disputed results, results that do not create consensus, would be very bad news for the country. That’s why we need good elections,” hopes Luc Lutala.
The Catholic Church, an important player
The Congolese Catholic Church also did not publish its own figures from its observation mission in 2018, but stated that “the analysis of the elements in its possession leads it to believe that the results of the presidential election do not correspond to the figures of its observer”.
With the influence it has exerted on the country's public life since its independence in 1960, The church has sowed persistent doubts about the credibility of the 2018 electoral process.
Given the 40,000 people mobilized this year (citizen observers, accredited observers and a range of experts and analysts) “the aim is to observe the process in order to make recommendations. And the goal is to find out the truth of the surveys,” says Monsignor Donatien Nshole, Secretary General of the National Bishops’ Conference of the Congo (Cenco) since February 2017.
“If things go well, there will be no contradiction between what the CENI publishes and what we observe. In this case, it will be our greatest contribution to the legitimacy of those who are declared elected. If there is a discrepancy, “There will be a problem,” he explains from his office in Kinshasa.
Monsignor Donatien Nshole, Secretary General of Cenco in his office in Kinshasa on December 12, 2023. © David Gormezano / France 24
On the walls, several photos commemorate Pope Francis' visit in January-February 2023 to this country of almost 100 million inhabitants, 90% of them Christians.
At the Martyrs' Stadium in Kinshasa, the Pope exclaimed: “Take your hands off the Democratic Republic of Congo: it is neither a mine to be exploited nor a land to be stolen.” Following his words to President Félix Tshisekedi the Archbishop of Kinshasa fulfilled his wish “Free, transparent, inclusive and peaceful elections” will take place.
On the eve of the elections, the church wants to help again. “In 2018, we called on the population to calm down and wait for the Constitutional Court’s ruling,” recalls Monsignor Nshole. “But this time the bishops have sent a different message: They are asking voters not to leave the Electoral College before the results are released. Because this is the fundamental phase.”
After the change in 2018, transparent elections in 2023?
With the social institutions he leads in the areas of education and health, which often compensate for the absence of the state, The Catholic Church has a voice that is all the more important because it is present in the heart of the country.
“The people are called upon, in accordance with the Constitution, to peacefully defend their sovereignty regarding the truth of the polls. Because the bishops are convinced that the Congolese people will be at the center of the consolidation of democracy, taking into account the concerns of those in power,” continues Donatien Nshole.
In 2018 The election of Félix Tshisekedi was the first democratic reshuffle without violence in the Democratic Republic of Congo.
In 2023, the fundamental challenge will be to ensure that elections are conducted correctly and that vote counting is transparent, so that the next president has the trust and legitimacy he needs to face the immense challenges that lie ahead lay.
After mass, Abbot Richard blesses the faithful of the Saint-Charles Lwanga parish in Kinshasa, December 10, 2023. © David Gormezano / France 24
In his parish of Saint-Charles-Lwanga, Abbé Richard urges his faithful after mass to remain confident and pray. “I can only encourage them, it is a civic duty. I encourage those who are committed to taking on roles in our country. I can only bless them as they move forward. I hope there is no violence, because violence makes us go backwards.”
Starting at 6 a.m. on Wednesday, Congolese will finally know whether their prayers and spells will open the doors of polling stations.. The results are expected to be announced on December 31, just before the New Year.
This report was prepared with the participation of Ivan Kasongo, a journalist based in Kinshasa.
Adapted from the French original