DRC: Ronsard Malonda new president of CENI

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In the DRC, the National Assembly ratified yesterday, July 2, the appointment of Ronsard Malonda as head of the Independent National Electoral Commission, replacing Corneille Naanga who is at the end of his term. Ronsard Malonda is presented as the nominated candidate of religious denominations, which is rejected by the secretary general of CENCO, the Episcopal Conference of the DRC. For Father Donatien Nshole, the Catholic church, the majority in the DRC, has already expressed its refusal to see Ronsard Malonda take the head of the CENI. 

Publicity

with our correspondent in Kinshasa, Kamanda wa Kamanda Muzembe

The candidacy of Ronsard Malonda was ratified yesterday Thursday, after a meeting the day before, of the religious denominations to designate the successor of Corneille Naanga. Former national executive secretary of CENI, the person concerned was acclaimed under conditions denounced by the secretary general of CENCO.

According to Father Donatien Nshole, the vote was marred by irregularities and the Catholic Church will never accept this choice. Hopefully the head of state will not lend credence to this irregular approach, adds Father Nshole.

Both the Catholic church and the Protestant church had already opposed Ronsard Malonda's candidacy because of his membership in the outgoing team, marked, according to these two confessions, by anti-values.

For some NGOs, such as Asadho and Acaj, this choice is a cheating that must be combated.

Before the plenary of the National Assembly yesterday Thursday, the revival churches, the Kimbanguists and the Orthodox Church made a joint statement in response to the June 30 homily by Cardinal Fridolin Ambogo. That day, the prelate had called on the people to "  stand up to block all the vigilantes which have as sole objective only to protect partisan interests ..." For these minority movements, "  the DRC has need neither martyrs nor an insurrectionary movement  ”.

The appointment of Ronsard Malonda as head of the CENI must be ratified by President Tshisekedi to be effective.

Also in the DRC, the three bills, initiated by deputies Garry Sakata and Aubin Minaku, on justice reform will no longer be dealt with during this parliamentary session. Their examination was postponed yesterday Thursday to the September session. These texts, carried by the deputies of the Common Front for the Congo (FCC of Joseph Kabila), provoked an outcry on the part of the camp of President Tshisekedi. The opposition and civil society also rejected them, accusing them of instituting the subordination of magistrates to the Minister of Justice.

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