Opposition leader Adolphe Muzito says his party, the Nouvel Elan, will not participate in the December 20, 2023 polls if voter registration is not conducted in three war ravaged regions namely Kwamouth, Rutshuru and Masisi.
Muzito said this after meeting with the president of the Independent National Electoral Commission Denis Kadima.
Muzito, a former Prime Minister, says going to the election without the three regions will be endorsing a subtle balkanization.
“My party and I are not prepared to go to the elections with the option of balkanizing our country,” declared Muzito.
CENI president Kadima says he had taken note of the exclution of voters of Rutshuru, Masisi (in the east) and Kwamouth (in the west).
Muzito has also recommended a technical reorganization of the CENI’s electoral calendar. The recommendation is contained in his current Electoral Crisis Exit Plan presented CENI on Monday.
He has called for realism and concerted and consensual solutions in the organization of a free, fair, credible and inclusive result.
“The integrity of the national territory, the transparency, the credibility, the inclusiveness and the fairness of the next elections is critical to our democracy,” he says.
Muzito also expressed concern on the the delay in the financing of the electoral process.
“We asked him if by the end of the process he will be able to raise the $500 million dollars he needs to complete the process. He [CENI president] said that he is in connection with the government and that in the coming days they can obtain a disbursement of $100 million dollars and they can move forward with the process even if the rest of the amount is not completed,” he said.
Muzito says if CENI is to hold elections on December 20, 2023, the government must release funding immediately.
