April 14 was an important date in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC). My colleagues and I from across the spectrum of civil society and political opposition met in the city of Lubumbashi discuss the deteriorating state of our country and possible solutions.
We are deeply concerned about a number of issues that, if left unaddressed, will seriously jeopardize the integrity of the upcoming election, scheduled for December. The problems are clear and alarm bells are ringing.
Since taking power in an election widely viewed as fraudulent by both domestic and international observers, President Felix Tshisekedi has brutally violated our constitution in a selfish pursuit to once again wrest power away from the Congolese people.
He has appointed rules unconstitutional; chosen partisan members of the so-called Independent Electoral Commission (CENI); imposed or otherwise unfairly reform electoral laws which are beneficial only to him; and declared “martial law” – meaning martial law – in North Kivu and Ituri provinces, areas known as opposition strongholds.
Meanwhile, CENI has been to fail to fulfill its voter registration responsibilities. In January, the committee said yes managed to register only 7 million Congolese voters, from 10 provinces. Then, for several months, CENI officials refused to release new figures at repeated requests from our coalition. In recent weeks, CENI has stated that it has registered nearly 47 million Congolese out of an estimated 49 million eligible voters.
Not many people in the DRC believe these figures are credible, not least because they are not broken down by constituency.
The legal system continues to be used to quash dissent. Opposition leaders, as well as critical journalists, artists and human rights activists, have been hit with criminal charges or other fabricated and arbitrary lawsuits. This creates a climate of fear, as documented by numerous international human rights organizations – including the Committee for the Protection of Journalists And Human rights guard – and aims to discourage opposition activities and participation and citizens’ access to information in the run-up to the elections.
As things stand, the situation in the DRC is not conducive to free, fair and credible elections. Under the Tshisekedi regime, political rights and civil liberties in our country have declined sharply, as evidenced by declining ratings on the Ibrahim Index of African Governance, Freedom House’s Freedom in the World report, and Transparency International’s Anti-Corruption Perceptions Index. Even the Catholic Church expressed public concern, however much has in the past.
Nevertheless, December’s elections remain our best chance to peacefully address the failure of our government. We argue that the only solution is to plan and properly conduct a transparent, impartial and peaceful poll. Our leaders must ultimately be accountable to us, the Congolese people, and we must avoid a repeat of past electoral failures, including that of 2018, that labeled illegitimate processes.
The task of ensuring free and fair elections lies largely with us, patriotic Congolese.
However, there are important steps the international community, and the United Nations in particular, can take to help us lead the DRC towards peace and stability.
First and foremost, the UN and its relevant agencies urgently need to help with the necessary resources and expertise to prevent our voter registration process from failing as CENI clearly struggles with its responsibilities.
Millions of potential voters are left without the documents required to take part in the polls. And many more in the eastern part of our country, as in 2018, remain deliberately disenfranchised, as a result of the regime’s statement “state of siege– a crisis of their own making and a suitable excuse to prevent opponents of the current president from voting on Election Day.
Secondly, in the run-up to and during elections, the UN can assist with independent observers charged and empowered to speak out when irregularities or fraud occur, as they have done in the past.
As was the case in Nigeria this year, threats of violence and insecurity can hamper voter turnout and undermine the credibility of results. A respected and widely visible UN presence on the ground will reassure voters and encourage them to go to the polls. No Congolese citizen needs to fear bodily harm or death just because he is exercising his basic human right to vote.
Third, with the support of the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights, the UN can activate its special procedures, including country visits by special rapporteurs. These officials may be tasked with ensuring that the electoral context is conducive to a free and fair vote, while also publicly acknowledging shortcomings and providing informed solutions.
As part of this mandate, UN Special Rapporteurs must engage in advocacy, public awareness and advice for technical cooperation – both inside and outside the UN – to ensure that our institutions fulfill their mandate to the Congolese people.
Passion ahead of the December election is unjustifiable and dangerous. Another inherently flawed election will further undermine stability and peace in the country and reinforce a sense of hopelessness among Congolese citizens that has prevailed for a generation. There is a palpable tension and widespread frustration, and we are approaching a breaking point. Our country and the wider region cannot afford the disastrous and completely preventable consequences of an unfair presidential poll.
We will continue to do everything we can on the ground to get citizens to vote, encourage them to show up on Election Day, and ultimately hold our leaders accountable. But we need the help of international bodies – those who claim to stand for and support democracy worldwide – to join us in this endeavor. It’s not too late to do this.
The views expressed in this article are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the editorial view of Al Jazeera.