The legitimacy of the recent presidential election in the Democratic Republic of the Congo is being questioned by voters due to new claims of irregularities. The voting process was extended to a second day, causing further doubt.
According to reports from the local news site Actualite.cd, a delegation of observers comprised of representatives from two religious organizations, the Episcopal Conference of the Congo and the Church of Christ in the Congo, found that 11% of the electoral machines were illegally placed in military schools in violation of election laws.
The “disorder” reported by voters and opposing candidates on Wednesday’s elections – where numerous polling stations remained closed and 45% of voting machines experienced issues – resulted in an extension of voting until Thursday in certain regions.
In Kinshasa, the capital city, individuals who participated in the voting on Wednesday expressed their anticipation for the results. Alende Lutuko Tichiki, an engineering student and volunteer observer, stated, “I am somewhat pleased to have cast my vote. However, I was taken aback when our polling center experienced a three-hour delay.”
According to Tichiki, the authorities were unsuccessful in controlling the crowd who became upset when certain voters were allowed to jump the queue due to their status. He also mentioned that some voters were unable to locate their names on the voter list.
He stated that it would be challenging to view the released results without questioning their validity. He acknowledged that elections in the DRC often face difficulties, but the priority was ensuring that voting took place to prevent potential issues that could have arisen if the elections had not been organized.
He expressed worry about potential conflicts, but remained optimistic that the election commission would release the results in a transparent manner.
On Wednesday, the voting process was hindered by administrative difficulties, including late delivery of voting materials, malfunctioning machines, and issues with voter identification cards and registration lists. Approximately 44 million citizens of the Democratic Republic of Congo, out of a total population of over 111 million, are eligible to vote.
Although five opponents have called for a repeat of the election, the two leading candidates – current president Félix Tshisekedi and his main rival Moïse Katumbi – have not aligned themselves with this demand.
On Thursday, Katumbi stated that despite the challenges, such as reported acts of violence against his followers, the current data indicates that he is in the lead.
According to senior researcher Remadji Hoinathy from the Insitute of Security Studies, there is currently little push for a repeat, but that could shift if there are unforeseen outcomes.
Hoinathy expressed concern about the difficulties voters encountered, stating that it has cast doubt on the trustworthiness of the election results and whether all eligible voters were able to cast their votes.
The timing and reception of the results are a major concern. Individuals such as Katumbi will wait for the vote to be called today and then make their opinion known on whether they will accept the outcome or demand a cancellation. However, at this moment, there is not a significant push for cancellation.
Several voting centers had residents who stayed overnight to ensure the accuracy of the vote count. Moise Ibadu, a local volunteer, explained to the AP news agency that it was crucial for him to be a witness in order to safeguard the integrity of the voting process. He stated that their presence was necessary to prevent any attempts at vote tampering.
Marie Mbanga Mbuyi, a 78-year-old, expressed her wish for no tensions and stated that she had observed issues with voting machines but was not worried about the overall outcome of the vote.
“We are simply awaiting the outcome, nothing more. I urge those who are making assumptions to be patient. Whichever candidate is announced as the victor should be given the opportunity to govern the country. That is the message I am imparting to my children and grandchildren,” she stated.
Source: theguardian.com
