the reappointment of a magistrate as head of the electoral commission makes the opposition talk

Congolese President Denis Sassou Nguesso has just renewed by decision a magistrate at the head of the coordination of the Independent National Electoral Commission (CNEI). This is Henri Bouka, who is also the first president of the Supreme Court. The opposition sees an incompatibility, while for the power there are only nominative and non-optional positions.

as reported from Brazzaville, Loïcia Martial

At the last political consultation held in late November in Madingou, with consultations paving the way for a peaceful presidential election in March 2021, the political actors did not really agree on the subject of strengthening the Electoral Commission. The reappointment of Henri Bouka as head of the Commission’s coordination, which in fact does not have the full powers to organize the elections and publish the results, is criticized by the opposition, which is already calling for cheating.

A “conflict of interest”

“There really is a conflict of interest,” comments opponent Clément Miérassa, for whom “a referee cannot collect other functions.” “He was appointed by the government just waiting for the elevator to return,” this opponent insists again. But the government sees no incompatibility there, because in the Supreme Court, just as in the Electoral Commission, it is only a matter of appointments.

As if to support this argument, Juste Désiré Moundélé, a majority member and political adviser to the President of the Republic, simply resigned from his post as a Member of the Electoral Commission.

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