DRC CRISIS: Katumbi Calls For Sanctions On Kadima & Others; Pleads With International Community Not To Validate Tshisekedi’s Electoral Fraud As Survival Of The Republic Is Under Threat

Ensemble pour la Republique president Moise Katumbi has called for the resignation and subsequent sanctions of CENI chief Denis Kadima for failing to upholding democratic tenets following a fraudulent election in the Democratic Republic of Congo.

In a statement after CENI nullified 82 seats of President Felix Tshisekedi’s parliamentary candidates, Katumbi says the electoral chaos emanating from the December 20, 2023 polls was planned by Kadima.

“What kind of electoral truth and integrity can we expect from such a chaotic process against which the CENI itself seems to take some very negligible measures, while, obviously, the harm is much greater?

“My dear fellow citizens, canceling these elections is the only solution.

“I am pleading with the International Community to not recognize any electoral result from this massive fraud and the treachery.

“The survival of the Republic depends on it,” he said.

FULL STATEMENT BY MOISE KATUMBI

STATEMENT

“FINALLY, THE CENI IS PUBLICLY ACKNOWLEDGING THE CASES OF
ELECTORAL FRAUD INVOLVING THE MANIPULATiON OF VOTING MACHINES
DETAINED BY CANDIDATES OF THE MAJORITY, UNION SACRÉE”

Since December 20, 2023, the beginning of the organized electoral chaos planned by the Independent National Electoral Commission (CENI), in violation of the Constitution, to maintain the current regime in power, opposition political parties, observers, witnesses, voters, and many other people interested in the electoral process in the Democratic Republic of Congo, including some leaders in the majority, have continuously denounced the numerous irregularities that have tainted the voting process to the point
that we can conclude that this was nothing but an disastrous electoral process.

Faced with this chaos and aware of the vital need to see the Congolese people, primary sovereign, to be able to freely choose leaders who can run the country by freeing it from all the anti-values which are at the root of all our struggles, some presidential candidates had clearly requested the cancelation of the election parody orchestrated by the CENI.

This is why, my party, Ensemble pour la République, and l, in the aftermath of the recorded grave
irregularities that occurred, requested the cancelation of the fake elections on December 28, 2023 right after the end of the illegal additional electoral week.
That same December 28, 2023, the CENCO-ECC Electoral Observation Mission, in its preliminary report
stated that it had documented numerous cases of irregularities that were likely to affect the integrity of the election results.
Finally, the largest electoral observation mission in the Democratic Republic of Congo, the MOE CENCO- ECC, in its joint declaration of January 4, 2024, concluded the following:

“In light of these irregularities, in addition to the recommendations made in the preliminary declaration and the implementation of which would have the merit of reassuring both parties, of consolidating the
peace, the cohesion and the stability of the Democratic Republic of Congo, we ask the CENI to shed light on the cases of irregularities documented by the various stakeholders. There is an imperative need for the creation of a joint and Independent commission. The acceptance by all parties of the results, at each level of the elections, depends on the light that this commission would shed on this critical matter.

However, the CENI, instead of complying with this recommendation rushes to independently cancel the
elections in some constituencies and the votes obtained by certain candidates. In its press release of January 5, 2024, the CENI also affirms that it will continue to receive denunciations, particularly those regarding the illegal possession of electronic voting devices.

This hasty decision by the CENI calls for the following relevant observations and recommendations on our behalf:

1. This is only an attempt to outrun the existing issue and will never replace the need of a joint and independent commission as recommended by the MOE CENCO-ECC, whose report would represent a solid prerequisite for the results to be accepted by all stakeholders.

2. The CENI’s press release constitutes a serious admission of the irregularities denounced by
multiple stakeholders, which go as far as the illegal possession of electronic voting equipment by candidates from the Presidential camp.

These numerous cases unavoidably affect the presidential elections, which must, therefore, be
canceled since we know that there was only one ballot for all four ballots (presidential, legislative, provincial and municipal) and since we also know that the CENI even declared, in its press release, that it is continuing to register more denunciations.

The CENI, who is the owner of the electoral materials found in the hands of several private
candidates of the current power coalition, and who is also responsible for the condemned
electoral chaos, could never reasonably become the investigating body. For, how, then, can the guilty be also the judge? What objectivity can we expect from the culprit?

From the above, we would like to remind the CENI that its investigations cannot replace the creation of an independent and joint commission as recommended by the CENCO-ECC MOE.

Obviously, this entire electoral process must be suspended, pending the creation of the independent and joint commission and the end of its investigations.

In the meantime, and following Mr. KADIMA’s admissions, which have surprised even the good faith of
those who seemed to ignore the seriousness of irregularities never recorded in the organization of elections throughout the world, we simply ask Mr. KADIMA to immediately remove himself from this process and to resign.

His resignation is not negotiable for, more than anyone else, he has mismanaged the all electoral process which ended up being nothing but a sham of elections.

This case also warrants a severe sanction so as to not teach a bad example to humanity.

All the offenses that have been committed have deeply affected the foundations of our Democracy
given the fact that no legitimacy should result from a fraud, the people are being called upon to oppose any power that is exercised in flagrant violation of the Constitution.

Once again, we are also calling upon both national and international communities to draw all the consequences of the decisions taken by the CENI this Friday, January 5, 2024. They represent the beginning of the public recognition of multiple irregularities that we have been denouncing without ceasing.

What kind of electoral truth and integrity can we expect from such a chaotic process against which the CENI itself seems to take some very negligible measures, while, obviously, the harm is much greater?

My dear fellow citizens, canceling these elections is the only solution.

I am pleading with the International Community to not recognize any electoral result from this massive fraud and the treachery.

The survival of the Republic depends on it!