On Tuesday, December 19, 2023, the United States emphasized the importance of transparency in the announcement of results for the upcoming elections in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), urging electoral authorities to adhere to clear timelines. The call follows past instances of missed deadlines in 2019.
While acknowledging the efforts of the DRC’s electoral commission, US State Department spokesman Matthew Miller highlighted the necessity for “additional measures to ensure the transparency of the electoral process, including clear information on when and how results will be published, [which] would help build confidence.” Miller urged all candidates and parties to contribute to fostering fair, free, and peaceful elections, emphasizing the importance of maintaining freedom of expression.
Against the backdrop of a tense climate, approximately 44 million voters out of a total population of around 100 million are set to participate in the elections on Wednesday, casting their votes for the president, national and provincial deputies, and communal councillors for the first time. The vast Central African country, with limited road infrastructure, will see the opening of some 75,000 polling stations.
Reflecting on the previous electoral process in December 2018, where the electoral commission initially set a January 6 result announcement deadline but declared Félix Tshisekedi the winner on January 10, the statement emphasized the need for adherence to specified timelines to avoid concerns about the legitimacy of the results. Notably, the 2018 elections marked the DRC’s first peaceful transition of power, despite subsequent allegations of fraud by opposition candidate Martin Fayulu.
This year’s electoral environment, occurring against the backdrop of the DRC’s historical political challenges, has witnessed a relatively calm campaign, setting the stage for the democratic process.
