The Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), the mineral-rich central nation, is gearing up for high-stakes elections on December 20, 2023. The upcoming presidential and parliamentary elections kick off a year of complex preparations in a country large parts of which are overrun by militia violence.
The Main Contenders
The election sees a crowded field of 25 candidates, including the incumbent, running for the highest office. Here are some of the main contenders:
- Felix Tshisekedi, the incumbent President, took power in 2019 after winning a disputed election. Critics say the 60-year-old has failed to live up to his promises, but with the opposition divided, Tshisekedi is considered the favorite to win in December.
- Moise Katumbi, a wealthy businessman and owner of Congolese football club TP Mazembe, is a former governor of ex-Katanga province, the mineral-rich economic motor of the DRC.
- Martin Fayulu, a former oil executive who leads the Ecide party, has been referred to as the “president-elect” by his supporters for the past five years, arguing that he was the true winner of the 2018 election.
- Denis Mukwege, a renowned surgical gynaecologist, was awarded the 2018 Nobel Peace Prize for his effort to end sexual violence.
The Electoral Process
General elections are expected to be held in the Democratic Republic of the Congo on 20 December 2023. Simultaneous elections will be held for the President, almost all of the members of the National Assembly, almost all of the elected members of the 26 provincial assemblies, and, for the first time under the new constitution, members of a limited number of commune (municipal) councils. These elections are the first of the 4th election cycle under the 2006 constitution. Six more elections will follow in 2024, five of which are indirect.
Challenges Ahead
With five weeks to go before polls open, organizers face a host of challenges as they seek to avoid the delays and confusion that marred the last election five years ago. Conflict and insecurity have dominated campaign discourse in the DRC and could stop displaced people from voting. Chantal Uwimana, who also fled the Masisi region, west of Goma, said she hadn’t been able to register to vote in the December 20 polls.
Despite the turmoil, the election ushered in the country’s first peaceful transition of power since independence, with former president Joseph Kabila handing power over to his successor Felix Tshisekedi.
As the DRC prepares to vote for a new president this December, opponents are already crying foul. The world watches with bated breath as the DRC embarks on this pivotal moment in its history.
The Political Climate
The political climate has been tense for several months, with opposition parties denouncing a narrowing of democratic space and expressing the conviction that the elections will be marred by fraud. Despite the assurances of the authorities, many Congolese, having experienced this at previous elections, still have doubts about the organisation of the vote in time and are worried that there will be a “landslide”.
The definitive list of candidates will be published on November 18, on the eve of the official opening of an electoral campaign that began de facto several weeks ago. The question will be whether the fragmented opposition manages to agree on a common candidacy, which seems essential if it is to win an election that will be contested in a single round.
As the DRC embarks on this pivotal moment in its history, the world watches with bated breath. The outcome of these elections could have far-reaching implications, not just for the DRC, but for the entire African continent.