What to expect in DR Congo's general elections
The stakes are high, contenders are ready and citizens look forward to endorsing their preferred candidate in the upcoming general elections in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DR Congo) on Wednesday, December 20, 2023.
As campaigns came to an end, incumbent president, Felix Tshisekedi threw in his last rally two days ahead on December 18.
Promises from candidates to improve the lives of citizens through employment opportunities, more infrastructure and pledges to end conflicts in the country have been rife, with contenders hoping to earn the votes of prospective voters with their messages.
Who is voting
Some over 40 million registered voters are expected to cast their votes out of a total population of 100 million in the Central African country. Over 900 parties are expected to participate in the presidential, parliamentary and provincial elections.
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Leading presidential contenders
The race began with about 26 contenders but Wednesday’s elections will see 20 presidential candidates vie for the presidential seat. There are however about 4 out of the number who have been pegged as the leading contenders. These are the incumbent, President Felix Tshisekedi, 60 years, Martin Fayulu 66, who was second runner-up to the president in the 2018 polls, Moise Katumbi, 58, former governor of Katanga province and owner of the TP Mazembe football team, and Dr Denis Mukwege, 68, winner of the 2018 Nobel Peace Prize for his work on victims of sexual assault.
Who wins?
There will only be one round of voting to determine who wins the presidential position. Whoever emerges with the most votes at the end of counting in the first round will emerge the winner regardless of whether or not they poll more than 50% of the votes, the BBC reported. The winner will be president for 5 years.
Electoral Commission
The Independent National Electoral Commission has promised to conduct free and fair elections while indicating its preparedness by deploying agents and electoral materials ahead of the elections on Wednesday.
An election after years of conflict
The elections in DR Congo is an important one because the country has been known for constant conflict for decades with the country having one of the highest numbers of internally displaced persons globally. Over 6 million people are said to have been forced out of their homes because of conflicts and violence in the country. The country is also known to have been conflicted with poor governance leading to high poverty rates amidst allegations of corruption in power.
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Voters are looking forward to a new regime with better living conditions, better governance and policies to improve their livelihoods and the economy.
