In the Democratic Republic of Congo, two candidates vying for seats in parliament were killed in separate incidents on Friday, just days before the Dec. 20 general election. A regional government official in the South Kivu province reported that a candidate for the ruling coalition was shot and killed by unknown gunmen while returning from a campaign event. In Beni, in the North Kivu province, another ruling coalition candidate died from gunshot wounds after his campaign convoy was ambushed.
The election has been overshadowed by violence, with opposition parties and independent observers expressing concerns about issues such as illegible voter cards, blocked campaign planes, and delays in the electoral list. The legitimacy of the election results is at risk, according to the Human Rights Watch, which warned in a report on Saturday that election-related violence is undermining the vote.
Human Rights Watch documented clashes between supporters of rival political parties since early October, resulting in assaults, sexual violence, and at least one death. The report noted that the violence was perpetrated by supporters of both the ruling coalition and opposition parties, with continued incidents being reported.
Furthermore, an evangelical church, the Church of Christ in Congo, reported that its temple in the capital Kinshasa was vandalized during violent clashes between supporters of an opposition politician and those of the ruling coalition.
Amidst the election-related violence, a separate incident in Ituri province saw at least 11 civilians, including six women, being decapitated in an attack on a village on Friday. The attack has been attributed to militants linked to the Islamic State-affiliated Allied Democratic Forces (ADF) operating in the eastern Congo region.
While violence and political instability continue to be a major concern, the general election is set to proceed next week in the Democratic Republic of Congo.
(Reporting by Yassin Kombi in Beni and Crispin Kyala in Bukavu; Additional reporting by Sonia Rolley and Ange Kasongo; Writing by Bate Felix; Editing by David Holmes)
