DR CONGO: FINALLY, A TIMETABLE FOR THE ELECTIONS!

The National Independent Electoral Commission (CENI) finally released a timetable that planned long long-awaited DRC elections. These will take place in December 2018, having already generated protest by the opposition.

This almost "miraculous episode” succeeded after US Ambassador to the United Nations, Nikki Halley, had recently visited the camp for Congolese people displaced by violence in the country. She left that camp literally in tears, and enhanced that polls to replace Joseph Kabila, were to be held in 2018. Failing that, the country would be bound to a consequent lack of support and solidarity from the international community.

Kabila, has been delaying leaving office, disrespecting the constitution and the agreement he had entered into. The country has been plunged into a crisis that has been worsening last year escalating the violence, especially in the east zone, and after delaying the elections originally scheduled for late 2016.

The main opposition parties criticize the timetable for the election, because this situation is not respecting the law and the political agreement previously signed with the government, where a date was still expected for this year. Thus, for the opposition, it is essential for people to be vigilant about these new developments, because a lot is at stake, and at the expense of cat-and-mouse game, many people have lost their lives and the population is suffering at all levels.

The reasons given by the Kabila Government and the CENI itself for the successive delays refer to the problems registering millions of voters across the vast central African nation. That was never grasped by opposition which accuses Kabila of manipulating the whole process.

Nevertheless, the public support of the CENI's announcement by the US, is already a sign that it will not tolerate further setbacks of Kabila’s government, otherwise it will lose all support at the international level.

The US through a statement has indicated the "urgent need for the DRC government to implement the confidence building measures included in the December Agreement. This includes an end to politically motivated prosecutions, the release of political prisoners, and respect for the right of peaceful assembly and association, so that opposition parties and civil society organizations may hold peaceful public meetings without government interference or intimidation. "

Thus, the US will commit to working with DRC institutions, regional and international African organizations, as well as MONUSCO (Organization Stabilization Mission in the Democratic Republic of the Congo) to ensure that the 45 million voters are able to cast their ballots on time and as scheduled in December 2018.

How wonderful it would have been to witness a similar conduct like President of Botswana Ian Khama. He announced he would stepdown in April 2018 and his current VP Mokgweetsi Masisi would govern the country until the elections to be held in 2019!

Miguel Verde - Senior Consultant, Professor of International Relations