DRC: despite criticism, Félix Tshisekedi confirms Denis Kadima at the head of the Ceni
The President of the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Félix Tshisekedi, November 9, 2019. Sumy Sadurni / AFP
Text by: RFI Follow
3 min
President Félix Tshisekedi confirmed, on the evening of Friday, October 22, the appointment of Denis Kadima as head of the Independent National Electoral Commission (Céni).
And this despite the opposition of two of the eight religious denominations - Catholics and Protestants - as well as opposition parties and even some of the members of the Sacred Union, such as Moïse Katumbi and Vital Kamerhe.
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"
The process took place on a regular basis,
" said
Félix Tshisekedi on
Friday, October 22. The evening had settled down when the President of the Democratic Republic of the Congo spoke on Congolese radio and television. A speech during which he confirmed the appointment of Denis Kadima at the head of the Ceni. The latter replaces Corneille Nanga.
In total, Félix Tshisekedi appointed 12 of the 15 members of the Ceni office, in charge of organizing the elections at the end of 2023. On television, he mentioned the year 2020 and the lively controversy that arose at the time. The name of
Ronsard Malonda
had been proposed to replace Corneille Nanga at the head of the Ceni. But the president had refused to sign the appointment order, despite the validation of the National Assembly. "
Too many irregularities
", explained, in essence, the head of state.
#RDC #DiscoursduPresident #CENI #Politique 22.10.2021 / #KINSHASA
The President of the Republic signed this Friday an ordinance which invests the members of the new CENI office.
This office is chaired by Denis Kadima, electoral expert who replaces Corneille Nanga.
pic.twitter.com/6wVqI0hsrc
- RDC Presidency 🇨🇩 (@Presidence_RDC) October 22, 2021
"Competitive democracy has its rules which means that we have winners and losers"
On the contrary, this year, according to him, there was a formal report, and a convocation of the lower house of parliament in the rules of the art.
Satisfied, Felix Tshisekedi has therefore confirmed Denis Kadima to this function.
He explained this in his address to the nation:
"
This is the opportunity to congratulate the President of the National Assembly for having given several opportunities to the religious denominations members of the platform to come together in order to reach a compromise, in the absence of a consensus.
"
“
Our country has resolutely opted for competitive democracy.
This has its rules that we have winners and losers.
We cannot, after having chosen the competition and the rules which are related to it, to avoid it.
Our differences, far from being weaknesses, are rather illustrations of our democratic vitality.
"
“
In view of all the above, I decided to sign the ordinance designating the members of the new Ceni office.
I urge them to work for the organization of free, democratic and transparent elections within the constitutional deadlines.
"
The Together for Change party will reassess its participation in the Sacred Union
The Head of State is "
hopeful
" that the three opposition delegates will be quickly appointed to complete the office.
He announced the upcoming appointment of a "person
responsible for monitoring the smooth running of the electoral process
" to him.
Together for Change, the party of Moïse Katumbi, so far one of Felix Tshisekedi's main allies, reacted after Friday's speech. The President of the Republic did not respond to the request of Moïse Katumbi, who called on him
not to validate the presence of Denis Kadima
at the head of the Ceni. The party's bodies will meet to reassess its participation in the Sacred Union, as announced by its secretary general, Dieudonné Bolengetenge, to
Esdras Ndikumana
for RFI:
“
We will take responsibility for ourselves, like all those who do not agree.
The Céni is constituted in a confusion observed by several components of the Congolese nation.
There is reason to fear that the elections will be organized in the same mess and that the results will be programmed in the same way.
And that is unacceptable.
"
“
This beginning announces the end, and if we do not want to resign ourselves to it, we must draw the necessary consequences.
"
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DRC
Felix Tshisekedi
Moses Katumbi