The commitment of the National Electoral Commission (CENI) to run a free and fair election appears to be on track since all 26 candidates or their representatives participated in a pre-electoral briefing for the December 20th Presidential elections in the Democratic Republic of the Congo.
The Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) experienced a historic moment when 26 candidates or their representatives including the five leading candidates or their representatives participated in a pre-electoral briefing for the impending December 20th Presidential elections there. The briefing was organized by the Independent National Electoral Commission (CENI) and signaled that all 26 candidates were approved to run in the elections, This contrasts favorably with the previous election run under Joseph Kabila, in which two of the five leading candidates were disqualified from running and such meeting between candidates did not take place.
Dr. Joel Ngoe Nshisso, President of the Forum of Congolese Intellectuals Abroad (FICE), the largest organized group of Congolese expats in the United States and Europe called this a significant development for the Congo especially coming when seven of the 21 Francophone countries[1] (Central African Republic, Cameroons, Gabon, Guinea, Mali, and Niger) in Sub Saharan Africa, are or soon will be sanctioned by the United States by having their eligibility for duty-free preferences under the US flagship economic program for Africa. (African Growth and Opportunity Act AGOA) withdrawn for failure to follow democratic principles.
This event is also noteworthy since it comes soon after a November 6th letter from two leading Congressional foreign policy experts (Senator Christopher Coons and Representative Michael McCaul ) urging the DRC and the electoral Board to ensure free, fair, and transparent democratic elections this December. This could be the first step in responding to these Congressional concerns since at this meeting all candidates were able to express freely their concerns for the upcoming elections.
Such an event helped to ease tensions between candidates as the Congolese people and the diplomatic corps witnessed a warm handshake between President Felix Tshisekedi and Martin Fayulu who since the last election refused all opportunities to speak to his opponent. Also, it gives the population a sense of fair play, and perspectives of another civilized, and peaceful transfer of power.
Dr. Joel Ngoie Nshisso is President of FICE. Mr. Stephen Lande is President of Manchester Trade Unlimited, Inc
[1] Seychelles was graduated from AGOA duty-free eligibility status in 2017.
