Opposition cries foul as Congo readies for vote

As the Democratic Republic of Congo prepares for elections next week, concerns have been raised by the opposition and independent observers regarding obstacles that could threaten the legitimacy of the results, such as illegible voter cards, blocked campaign planes, and delays in the electoral list.

For several months, the CENI election commission has been facing criticism for failing to deliver a free and fair vote as promised, despite logistical setbacks organizing the presidential and legislative ballot across Africa’s second-largest country.

In the final weeks of campaigning before the Dec. 20 vote, tensions have escalated. Challengers to President Felix Tshisekedi have accused the authorities of planning to tip the election in their favor and cried foul over an uneven playing field. The CENI and presidency deny these allegations.

The legitimacy of the next administration is at stake, as well as wider stability. Disputes over perceived electoral malpractice often lead to violent unrest in Congo, with potential global implications due to its status as the world’s largest producer of cobalt.

Presidential hopeful Moise Katumbi, a mining magnate, expressed his view that there is no longer democracy in the country and stated that his campaign plans using nine planes were hampered by a lack of authorization from the civil aviation authority, hindering his campaign.

Other opposition contenders have also alleged efforts to suppress campaigns and logistical hurdles to reaching voters, contravening the electoral law requiring all candidates to have an equal footing in the race.

Congo, which only saw its first handover of presidential power in 2019, has a history of unrest associated with election-related disputes. More recently, Tshisekedi challenger Denis Mukwege has accused authorities of trying to derail his campaign, which has been denied by the government.

President Tshisekedi has appealed to voters as the least disruptive choice for a country grappling with rebel groups and entrenched poverty. However, there are widespread concerns over the credibility of the vote due to issues with voter registration and ID cards, raising doubts about the elections.

The Carter Center, a U.S. election monitoring group, cited concerns about the quality and transparency of voter registration and noted errors and delays in publishing voter lists, as well as difficulties with smudged and illegible voter cards.

Furthermore, six candidates, including Tshisekedi’s main rivals, have demanded urgent measures to prevent potential fraud. The Catholic Church has also questioned the transparency of the electoral process, and monitors have raised concerns about delays in posting the final list of voters in each polling station.

Some voters in the capital Kinshasa are unsure if they will be able to take part in the elections, with concerns about unreadable voter cards and difficulties in obtaining replacement cards, as expressed by a secondhand clothes-seller.

(Additional reporting by Benoit Nyemba in Kinshasa, Crispin Kyala in Bukavu; Writing by Alessandra Prentice; Editing by Bate Felix and Frances Kerry)