Presidential Candidates Challenge Electoral Commission as DRC Election Approaches

In the lead-up to the Democratic Republic of Congo's (DRC) presidential election on December 20, several candidates, including Denis Mukwege, Martin Fayulu, and Theodore Ngoy, have announced their intention to challenge the Independent National Electoral Commission (CENI) for its alleged failure to ensure the regularity of the electoral process.

Theodore Ngoy, a presidential candidate, raised concerns about the legitimacy of the voters' cards, stating that 80% of them are illegible due to being printed on thermal paper. He suggested that voters were deliberately provided with cards that had erasable prints, raising questions about the integrity of the election process.

"We're going to the elections to participate, or if you like, to co-determine a sham that will result in the status quo, meaning the reappointment of the outgoing president of the republic or else the appointment of someone who will have a tacit agreement with him," Ngoy asserted, expressing skepticism about the transparency of the electoral process.

With 25 candidates running for president and a month-long election campaign underway, the political climate in the DRC remains tense. The country, with almost 100 million people, is set to witness a crucial election where around 44 million registered voters will cast their ballots. In addition to choosing a new president, voters will decide on tens of thousands of candidates for legislative and local bodies.