EAC cancels plan to observe DRC election

Author: Koang Pal Chang | Published: Tuesday, December 19, 2023

President Felix Tshisekedi came to power in January 2019

The EAC on Monday canceled its upcoming election observation mission to DR Congo, the East African Community Headquarters in Arusha said in a statement.

The EAC released a statement on its website on Monday, notifying the EAC Partner States, Development Partners, and all other Stakeholders that the EAC will not physically be present in DRC to observe the 2023 General Elections.

“This is to notify the EAC Partner States, Development Partners, and all other Stakeholders that EAC will not physically be present in DRC to observe her 2023 General Elections as provided for in the Treaty Establishing the East African Community and as it has been the practice since the inception of the EAC,” stated the statement.

It says this DRC has not granted permission for the EAC election observer mission to the 2023 DRC general elections.

“This development is because although EAC was ready, the request to undertake the exercise has not been granted by the relevant authorities,” it said.

The statement concluded by wishing the Government and the people of DRC peaceful elections, saying it remains committed to discharging its mandate to all Partner States.

On Monday, the Democratic Republic of Congo reportedly recalled its ambassadors from Kenya and Tanzania on the weekend after the Congolese announced a new political-military alliance in Nairobi.

This comes after Kinshasa’s foreign ministry summoned the Kenyan embassy’s head of mission early on Saturday, Reuters reported, adding that it could not immediately reach the Kenya government for comment.

On Friday, Congolese politicians and groups including the M23 rebels, who have seized territory in eastern Congo, and former election commission chief Corneille Nangaa reportedly launched the Congo River Alliance in Nairobi.

When are the elections?

Nearly 40 million Congolese voters go to the polls for the next presidential election on 20 December with President Félix Tshisekedi seeking a second, and final, five-year term in office.

The Democratic Republic of Congo is the largest country in sub-Saharan Africa, with an estimated population of more than 100 million people, the country is rich in natural resources.

Despite some calls for the election to be postponed, the head of the electoral commission is confident that everything will be ready in time.

Who are the candidates?

Following the withdrawal of six candidates, including former Prime Minister Augustin Matata Ponyo, there are now 20 presidential candidates, including Mr Tshisekedi.

His main challengers are:

Martin Fayulu, is the man believed by many observers to have been the rightful winner of the 2018 presidential election, even though he came second according to official results.
Moïse Katumbi, a wealthy businessman and former governor of Katanga province, as well as the owner of the TP Mazembe football team
Dr Denis Mukwege, the winner of the 2018 Nobel Peace Prize for his work with rape survivors.

Four of the candidates who have withdrawn have thrown their support behind Mr Katumbi and his “Together for the Republic” party, while two, Patrice Majondo Mwamba and Joëlle Bile, are now backing President Tshisekedi.

Still in the running are another former Prime Minister, Adolphe Muzito, MP Delly Sesanga, activist Floribert Anzuluni and Constant Mutamba.

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