DRC / Elections: The Minister of Communication invites the opposition to show restraint
During a press conference held on Tuesday, December 26, 2023, the Minister of Communication and Media, Patrick Muyaya, called on opposition candidates in the presidential election to exercise restraint and respect for democratic principles as outlined in the laws governing elections in the Democratic Republic of the Congo. In this joint briefing with his colleague Peter Kazadi, the government spokesperson Patrick Muyaya emphasized that it is not appropriate to contest election results until the final results have been officially published by the electoral authorities.
«We are in a game; you cannot leave the field until the referee blows the final whistle. That’s fair play. You cannot contest election results when the said results have not yet been disclosed. On what basis would you contest? Disputes, that’s why we have legal channels for that. You can present your opposing results when the time comes if you believe the announced results are not in line. Here, we should not put the cart before the horse, especially since the possibilities for disputes are provided for by law. I commend the stance taken by various embassies urging everyone to exercise restraint and follow the unfolding publication of results», stated Patrick Muyaya, the government spokesperson, before the press.
It’s worth noting that this electoral process has faced strong criticism from the opposition.
They have raised concerns about irregularities and mishaps on the voting day, as well as the extension of the voting period beyond December 20, which they argue could facilitate cheating in favor of the incumbent candidate, Félix Tshisekedi.
According to the updated partial data from the Independent National Electoral Commission, Félix Tshisekedi has reportedly surpassed his political opponents.
Yann ETERNEL
