It is up to religious denominations, eight of which are recognized in the Democratic Republic of Congo, to nominate the candidate for president of the Independent National Electoral Commission and another member of the House. During the three previous election cycles, in this phase of the process, they have always been divided, the Catholic Church was alone in front of the others and condemned a stranglehold on the number one regime. But on Friday, everyone condemned the common threat without specifying any origin.
With our special correspondent in Kinshasa, Sonia Rolley
This is the first time that the Catholics from the National Bishops’ Conference in Congo (Cenco) and the Protestants of the Church of Christ in Congo (ECC) are on the same line when the members of Ceni are appointed. The two main religious denominations do not hide their hostility to the announced candidacy of Denis Kadima, who is considered too close to Félix Tshisekedi, as the executive director of the Electoral Institute for Sustainable Democracy in Africa has always denied. He is a candidate for the Kimbanguist Church and also seems to at least benefit from the support of the Revival Churchs.
On the side of Catholics, like Protestants, one can be sure that this is not the only name of the candidate that poses a problem from this point of view. Both claim that they themselves have proposed defeated candidates for the same reason and to abstain from them.
We can therefore go against a “two against two” and everything will be played on the four remaining denominations, namely the Muslims, the Orthodox, the Salvation Army and the independent churches. There is no doubt in their minds that the pressure is strongest, even though several religious leaders say they are victims of threats or even threats. In any case, in their joint statement, all religious denominations claimed that they wanted agreement on the name of a person “who had the exceptional courage to proclaim the true results of the ballot box”.
Submission of applications is scheduled for Monday, July 26. Each denomination has the right to present candidates and then they meet all day on Tuesday to try to reach agreement.
Please note that under the new law on Ceni, a mixed majority opposition committee of the National Assembly will be responsible for reviewing the candidacies of the members of Ceni, elected by the majority, the opposition and civil society, before sending all names to the head of state, who is responsible for to ratify them.
► To (re) listen too: Designation of Ceni in the Democratic Republic of Congo: heads of religious denominations condemn “threat”
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