President Felix Tshisekedi yesterday tested the waters with his scheme to plunge the Democratic Republic of Congo into deeper chaos when he ordered his Kasai tribesman Denis Kadima, president of the Independent Electoral Commission (CENI), to reject opposition leader Moise Katumbi’s completed nomination file in Kinshasa.
Katumbi, the Ensemble pour la Republique president, assigned his party’s acting spokesperson, senior members Christian Mwando Nsimba and Olivier Kamitatu Etsu to file the nomination which avoided the buzz as a way of honouring the memory of assassinated spokesperson Cherubin Okende and the sacrifice of his senior advsiors Salomon Idi Kalonda Della and Mike Mukebayi who are political prisoners of President Tshisekedi.
The entourage that went to the CENI offices before midday in Kinshasa yesterday were asked to provide original copies of the documentation they submitted. A few weeks ago, CENI put out a notice for the requirements which indicated that all copies should be certified. However, Kadima did not indicate that candidates should present original copies of all the documentations filed.
Kadima and his officers failed to explain the sudden rule change and insisted that they wanted originals of Katumbi’s documents failure to which they were not going to admit the file.
Intelligence sources at ANR disclosed that CENI were working on orders from the Presidency the reason they appeared clumsy and lost in their demands. Katumbi’s team ultimately decided to retreat and obtain the original copies from Lubumbashi and is due to return to the CENI offices today.
“Katumbi’s candidature is a hot topic. The power (Presidency) doesn’t want him on the ballot and they are doing everything possible to frustrate him.
“If they bring the originals, the story is changing. We hope not because there is credible information this country will be unstable if these elections don’t go well.
“Yes, the president says there are 40, 000 new soldiers to deal with any instablity but we should not cheat ourselves. Things out there are not good for the country so we must stop adding fuel to the fire. President Tshisekedi has been advised to be careful,” the source disclosed.
Officials in the International community are watching closely events in the Democratic Republic of Congo with the United States of America and other international partners warning that mishandling the process will land President Tshisekedi and his leadership in serious problems.
“if officials provoke the situation by mishandling the process, there will be serious sanctions on the Mr. Tshisekedi. It’s unacceptable that the Congo should for over 60 years struggle to organize elections properly without its leaders fanning trouble,” a source from the United Nations monitoring the situation has said.
The source who is not authorized to speak due to diplomatic etiquette said on condition of anonymity that the situation and the upcoming elections in the DRC are being closely monitored in order to give the people of the war-torn central African nation an opportunity to chose a leader without interference from those in power.
