Highlights: In the DRC, the Independent National Electoral Commission (CENI) extends by one week the deadline for submitting candidacies to the national deputation for the general elections of 20 December 2023. The registration offices, open since June 25, were to close this Saturday, July 15. Finally, they will remain open until Sunday, July 23, 2023; seven more days are granted to future candidates. The CENI itself acknowledged this in its statement, referring to some offices that had not or had few applications.

DRC: candidates for the national deputation have seven more days to submit their file

In the DRC, the Independent National Electoral Commission (CENI) extends by one week the deadline for submitting candidacies to the national deputation for the general elections of 20 December 2023. The registration offices, open since June 25, were to close this Saturday, July 15. Finally, they will remain open until Sunday, July 23, 2023. It was after a plenary meeting this Saturday, July 15 that the CENI announced its decision.

The deadline to submit an application file to the deputation in the DRC is postponed to July 23, 2023. JUNIOR D.KANNAH / AFP

Text by: Paulina Zidi Follow

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However, in recent days, the president of the CENI, Denis Kadima, had clearly warned that there would be no extension. Finally, seven more days are granted to future candidates.

It must be said that the latter did not rush to file their file. The CENI itself acknowledged this in its statement, referring to some offices that had not or had few applications. In the province of Tshopo, for example, this week, the governor had called on candidates to hurry, noting during her visit to the office of the CENI that only three files had been filed, for a dozen seats to be filled.

PRESS RELEASE N° 033/CENI/2023
The CENI extends by 7 days from 16 to 23 July 2023 the operation of filing and processing of candidatures for the election of national deputies and takes the opportunity to draw the attention of stakeholders to the cases of... pic.twitter.com/1uu7uvfIpt

— Ceni-RDC (@cenirdc) July 15, 2023

There are explanations for this lack of applications. For some election observers, there was a lack of preparation on the part of the parties, which were finally taken aback by the respect of the electoral calendar and the sometimes tight deadlines to gather all the necessary documents for the file, and to pay the costs of filing candidatures.

And then, some major parties withdrew from the electoral process. This is the case of several political formations that make up the Common Front for Congo (FCC), close to former President Joseph Kabila, but also Ecide, the party of opponent Martin Fayulu.

" READ ALSO Electoral file in DRC: the opponent Martin Fayulu and his party "will not file candidacy"

DRC: candidates for the national deputation have seven more days to submit their file

DRC: candidates for the national deputation have seven more days to submit their file

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