NEW YORK, SEPTEMBER 28, 2018 (CISA) – President Joseph Kabila of the Democratic Republic of Congo has pledged peaceful, free, fair and credible General Elections scheduled for December 23.
Addressing the 73rd United Nations General Assembly on Tuesday, September 25 in New York USA, Kabila said that despite the challenges, the elections will take place as planned.
“I now reaffirm the irreversible nature of our decision to hold the elections as planned at the end of this year. The political situation in my country is thus becoming increasingly predictable and transparent, with all of the deadlines provided for in the electoral calendar for the upcoming elections having been met to date,” President Kabila said.
This comes barely two weeks after National Episcopal Conference of Congo (CENCO) invited the involvement of Southern African Development Community (SADC)’s organ on politics Defense and Security Cooperation (SADC Troika) in conducting peaceful elections in the country.
Some of the issues raised by the Bishops include fears that eligible voters could be left out due to the biometric voter registration; doubts about the reliability of the national election commission (CENI)’s voting machines; a continuing tense socio-political climate in the country and the persistence insecurity particularly in the eastern part of the country.
The bishops’ conference plans to deploy 1026 long term observers and 40,000 short term observers to oversee the General Elections.
