Reply To: Congo DRC Government of National Unity

[Congo]

It’s an eventful day that they are preparing for the DRC Congolese, Monday 19 September 2016. The political and judicial activities announced in the course of the day, in Kinshasa and in other major cities, attest to the peculiarity of September 19, 2016. Several ingredients help to raise tension in the country. It is indeed expected that the participants in the political dialogue, held for two weeks in the city of the African Union, in Kinshasa, close their discussions on the electoral process. On one hand, the Constitutional Court, by the CENI should give its opinion on the requested postponement of the presidential election. On the other, the Opposition, which sticks to the strict respect of the Constitution, will file a memo to the CENI to demand the convening of the presidential election within 90 days before 19 December, the date of the end of mandate of the Head of State.

suspension

Policy dialogue facilitated by the African Union, we accept that the CENI was comforted in his options. Without a timeline, the identification process and voter registration will continue in order to produce a reliable and inclusive electoral register. This is the result of a consensus reached by the presidential majority and the opposition pro-dialogue on the total overhaul of the electoral roll, 2011. Both parties have freely rejected two other constitution of the electoral roll of options presented by the CENI. One wanted us to organize the elections, in the constitutional deadline, with the 2011 file in its current state. That is to say, without taking into account the young adults and the Congolese abroad. The other involved a partial revision of the 2011 file with the enrollment of young adults and the Congolese diaspora.

Justice to the rescue

By opting for the overhaul of the electoral register, the majority and the opposition pro-dialogue were, thereby, decided to postpone the elections. It only remained to set new elections. The violins are far from agreeing on this. For the Presidential Majority, the timing for registration operations of voters and preparing the electoral calendar within the mandate of the CENI. In other words, it is not up to to decide Dialogue. The pro-Opposition dialogue can not afford to leave the Dialogue, hands empty-handed, without an electoral calendar. Then comes the stage of the Constitutional Court should, unless dramatic turn, respond positively to the request of INEC to postpone indefinitely the elections in DRC. The Constitutional Court, which all have recognized the dialoguers indefeasibility stops, offer a way out of all components stakeholder Dialogue, divided on the duration of the year. How long does it take? If there are no other technical prerequisites or constraints that may jam the machine, CENI would theoretically need 16 months to produce a new electoral register. Experts OIF speak them, 10 months. Only after the overhaul of the file that an electoral timetable will be made public. But if the electoral process continues to lack clarity, even after holding a dialogue which will have spilled ink and saliva, it is not clear that the Assembly and the dynamics of the Opposition remain inactive. This is the meaning of the peaceful march that opponents intend to organize in mid-day. Facing them, the security forces are ready to take action.