The Democratic Republic of the Congo, also known as DR Congo, the DRC, DROC, Congo-Kinshasa, or simply the Congo, is a country located in Central Africa. It is sometimes anachronistically referred to by its former name of Zaire, which was its official name between 1971 and 1997. It is, by area, the largest country in Sub-Saharan Africa, the second-largest in all of Africa, and the 11th-largest in the world. With a population of over 78 million, the Democratic Republic of the Congo is the most populated officially Francophone country, the fourth-most-populated country in Africa, and the 16th-most-populated country in the world.
The Parliament of the Democratic Republic of the Congo consists of two chambers:
The polls were boycotted by the veteran opposition leader, Étienne Tshisekedi, who complained of fraud. The international community donated $460million to fund the elections and deployed the world's largest UN peacekeeping operation, MONUC, to help the stability of the election. While the election was conducted relatively peacefully, the collection of the results proved chaotic, leading to armed clashes and growing fears of instability. As a result, DRC election officials announced that they would begin to release partial results earlier instead of only announcing the final count on August 20.[1]
Étienne Tshisekedi wa Mulumba was a Congolese politician and the leader of the Union for Democracy and Social Progress (UDPS), the main opposing political party in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC). A long-time opposition leader, he served as Prime Minister of the country on three brief occasions: in 1991, 1992–1993, and 1997.
Electoral fraud, sometimes referred to as election fraud, election manipulation or vote rigging, is illegal interference with the process of an election, either by increasing the vote share of the favored candidate, depressing the vote share of the rival candidates, or both. What exactly constitutes electoral fraud varies from country to country.
The international community is a phrase used in geopolitics and international relations to refer to a broad group of people and governments of the world. It does not refer literally to all nations or states in the world. The term is typically used to imply the existence of a common point of view towards such matters as specific issues of human rights. Activists, politicians and commentators often use the term in calling for action to be taken; e.g., action against what is in their opinion political repression in a target country.
On August 20, the CEI released its full provisional presidential election results, indicating that neither candidate was able to secure a majority, which led to a run-off election on October 29. On that day, voters went to the polls to vote in:
The two-round system is a voting method used to elect a single winner, where the voter casts a single vote for their chosen candidate. However, if no candidate receives the required number of votes, then those candidates having less than a certain proportion of the votes, or all but the two candidates receiving the most votes, are eliminated, and a second round of voting is held.
a run-off election for the Presidency, as no candidate had obtained more than 50 percent of the first-round vote.
On November 15, the CEI released its full provisional results for the presidential election's second round, indicating that Joseph Kabila had won. The results were, however, rejected by Bemba who claimed irregularities. On November 27, the DRC Supreme Court confirmed that Kabila had won the election.
Joseph Kabila Kabange is a Congolese politician who served as President of the Democratic Republic of the Congo between January 2001 and January 2019. He took office ten days after the assassination of his father, President Laurent-Désiré Kabila. He was elected as President in 2006 and re-elected in 2011 for a second term. Since stepping down after the 2018 election, Kabila, as a former president, will be a senator for life, according to the Constitution of the DRC.
Registration and voter turnout
Over 25 million people registered to vote for the elections, in a country where the exact population is not known, but is likely in excess of 60million. The Independent Electoral Commission (CEI or La Commission Electorale Indépendante) reported a voter turnout of 80 percent.[3]
Voter turnout is the percentage of eligible voters who cast a ballot in an election. Eligibility varies by country, and the voting-eligible population should not be confused with the total adult population. Age and citizenship status are often among the criteria used to determine eligibility, but some countries further restrict eligibility based on sex, race, or religion.
Candidates
Thirty-three people registered as candidates for the Presidency[4] and 9,000 for the 500 seats in the federal parliament.[5]
The initial presidential favourites were Joseph Kabila, the incumbent, and Jean-Pierre Bemba, one of the four vice-presidents.
A polling place in eastern DRCMay 31, 2006 demonstration in Kinshasa against the delay of Elections.
At least six people were killed in violent street protests in the run-up to the election.[6]
As of July 30, most polling stations were reported to have opened on time, with the election remaining peaceful.[7] The election closely followed an agreement with Ituri militias on July 28, an agreement which MONUC has stated "greatly enhances the security situation in the province in the lead-up to the historic DRC elections."[8]
Violence in Kasai
Presumed supporters of Étienne Tshisekedi burned polling stations and voting materials in the city of Mbuji-Mayi, capital of East Kasai province, on Sunday to prevent the elections being held. The elections were extended until Monday and riot police were deployed.[9]The Economist stated President Kabila was "making full use of his control of the security services and his monopoly of the state media" to secure the election.[10] A report by Human Rights Watch detailed violence in the campaign. In one raid, "agents of the special police" stormed a Christian television station, arresting a pastor critical of the political process, beating technicians and destroying the broadcasting equipment. The government also imprisoned a journalist for "insulting the head of state." Shooting of protestors by soldiers was routine.[11][12]
Fraud allegations
On the day of the election three vice-presidents and candidates complained of vote rigging. Bemba, Ruberwa and Z'Ahidi said "Perhaps we are heading for a masquerade or a parody of elections".[13]
Partial preliminary results
Preliminary results were expected on August 2,[13] but due to the remoteness of many polling stations, results were not expected to be finalised until three weeks after the polls closed. While South African observers approved the election, other monitors expressed concern, including those from the Carter Center.[14][15] MONUC reported that on August 3, on the third day of "chaotic poll-counting, a suspicious fire at a major Kinshasa election center deepened concerns over the transparency of the results."[16] According to MONUC, while the election itself may have met requirements, "the process of collecting results from 50,000 polling stations had become chaotic." On August 6, MONUC predicted that President Joseph Kabila appeared most likely to win, with Jean-Pierre Bemba finishing second.[16]
Clashes in eastern DRC
On August 5, thousands in eastern DRC were fleeing clashes between the DRC army and forces affiliated with General Laurent Nkunda. DRC officials reported that two government soldiers were killed in the fighting.[15] According to The Independent, Nkunda, who is "widely believed to be in third place in the race for the DRC's presidency," stated that he would respect the results, but along with over 30 other candidates, expressed "determination to resist results which are perceived to be unfair."[17] Nkunda, who remained the subject of an international arrest warrant issued by the DRC government "for alleged atrocities against civilians committed since 2004," expressed a willingness to negotiate with the winner of the election, but also, determination to resist any military attack. MONUC spokesperson reported that the peacekeeping force had begun patrolling in the area and that fighting has become limited to isolated incidents.[18]
Pre-release of interim results
While the official provisional election results were not to be announced until August 20, on August 7, due to the tense climate brought by the chaotic collection of results and after pressure from international envoys (led by South Africa), the DRC Electoral Commission stated that it would begin releasing interim election results as soon as the 20 percent vote count threshold was reached.[1] On August 8, some results were released, indicating that Kabila "overwhelmingly won" in the east while Bemba won in the west. A UN representative stated that it is too early to declare a winner. Preliminary national results were not expected until at least August 14.[19] On August 12, the DRC Independent Electoral Commission announced that six poll officials have been arrested for attempting to falsify the election results.[20] The officials were arrested on August 10, and appeared in court on August 11.[21] On August 15, the IEC reported that 94 percent of the presidential votes and 44 percent of the parliamentary results had been counted.[22] MONUC cautioned against media speculation on the results, while the instability in eastern DRC continued.[23]
On August 16, Angola deployed four battalions along the DRC border. The Angolan army's Deputy Chief of Staff, General Geraldo Sachipendo Nunda, said that these were steps taken "to ensure the security of our borders," although it was speculated that Angola was preparing to intervene, if the need arose, in favor of Kabila.[24] On August 17, the UN began investigating a suspected child prostitution ring involving UN peacekeepers and members of the DRC army.[25] Also on August 17, MONUC chief William Lacy Swing, warned against hate messages in local Bemba-run media which called on Congolese to target white people and foreigners.[26] This was in response to a widespread perception that Kabila's election had been backed by the international community.[27] In response, the Congolese High Authority on Media suspended the RTAE and CCTV (owned by Bemba) television stations for twenty-four hours. The government-owned Congolese Broadcasting Corporation television station, controlled by Kabila, also received a twenty-four-hour suspension.[28]
Interim results
The CEI released its full provisional results for the presidential election on August 20. The DRC Supreme Court planned to announce the final official presidential election results on August 31. The CEI was set to release the results of the parliamentary election in early September.[29] Both events ended up being postponed.
Presidential first round
Results of the first round of the 2006 presidential election by Province. Candidates: Kabila; Bemba; Gizenga
On August 20, with almost all the votes from the country's 169 constituencies having been counted, the DRC headed toward a run-off election. There were reports of automatic gunfire in Kinshasa, and MLC representatives accused Kabila's Republican Guard of killing one of its men and injuring three policemen.[31] The armed clashes resulted in the long-awaited CEI announcement ceremony being delayed by several hours.[32] Full provisional results show Kabila with 44.81 percent of the vote, to Bemba's 20.03. Gizenga secured about 13 percent,[33] Mobutu about 5 percent and Kashala around 4 percent.[34]
On August 25, MONUC announced that the parliamentary results would be released as early as that day,[35] but as of August 27, they had yet to be released. On August 28, the CEI began releasing the legislative results, with the final count expected September 4.[36] On September 4, the CEI postponed releasing the results of the parliamentary elections by at least a day following the arrest of ten Bemba-affiliated election officials. Still, the CEI announced that these problems would not affect the results.[37] The results so far released, show Kabila at a strong lead with 45% of the seats to Bemba's 14%, the remaining going to other parties. Of the 500 parliamentary seats, 58 have yet to be released.[38]
On September 8, the CEI released the results, revealing that no single party gained the 251 seats needed to secure a majority. Kabila's PPRD won 111 seats, while Bemba's MLC won 64 seats.[39]
Starting on August 20 heavy armed clashes took place in Kinshasa between forces loyal to Kabila and Bemba. Both sides accused the other of starting the fighting.[40]
On August 21, while a meeting between Bemba and foreign ambassadors representing the International Committee Accompanying the Transition to Democracy (CIAT)[41] was taking place in Kinshasa, clashes broke out between Kabila and Bemba forces, and Bemba's residence, which hosted the meeting, came under attack. According to one diplomat in the residence, it included artillery and heavy machine gun fire.[42] Bemba and the diplomats were moved to the safety of the residence's shelter and there were no reports of injuries. Evacuation plans for the diplomats stranded in the shelter were reportedly being drawn up. Bemba's private helicopter was said to have been destroyed in the attack.[43] Several hours later, the UN spokesperson in the DRC, Jean-Tobias Okala, announced that the foreign diplomats, including MONUC chief William Swing, had been successfully evacuated to UN headquarters by Spanish and Uruguayan peace-keeping forces after a top Kabila general and UN forces commander cooperated to allow them safe passage.[44]
Once the rescue had been completed, fighting in the DRC capital ensued, and on August 22, two DRC army tanks were reported to be heading toward the latest area of fighting.[40] The EU began sending more peacekeeping troops to Kinshasa and MONUC chief Swing called for an immediate ceasefire.[45] Later on August 22, the third day of fighting, the two sides signed a tentative ceasefire agreement to withdraw from the centre of Kinshasa. AFP reported that "the deal was signed by representatives of Kabila and Bemba, DRC army, the UN mission MONUC, European force EUFOR and European police mission EUROPOL, meeting as a "working group" at MONUC's Kinshasa headquarters." At least three people died during Tuesday's fighting.[46] Sixteen people were reported killed in the fighting which saw heavy artillery and machine gun fire, with police reporting more bodies found and the death toll expected to rise considerably.[47] Later in the day, Interior Minister Theophile Mbemba Fundu placed the death toll for the week at 23 killed, 43 injured.[48] As of August 24, the ceasefire remained in effect, with army forces loyal to the two candidates remaining in barracks, but the situation remained unstable.[49] Later in the day, police fired shots in the air to disperse angry crowds demanding that two of Bemba's television stations be reopened.[47]South African Airways announced that flights to Kinshasa would be resumed on August 25 after being suspended since the fighting began.[50]
On August 26, Kabila and Bemba announced that the two had agreed to meet.[51] Later in the day, however, tensions were heightened as Bemba failed to attend the meeting.[52] On August 29, MONUC announced that representatives of Kabila and Bemba were due to meet under UN supervision.[53] Later in the day, it was reported that Kabila and Bemba themselves met for the first time since the clashes began.[54] On August 30, MONUC announced that the meeting resulted in the establishment of two joint sub-commissions, one to conduct an independent investigation of the clashes, and the other to devise rules which will prevent violence from recurring during October 29 run-off election.[55]
As of early September, the DRC Supreme Court was to have about two months to rule on election-related appeals.
Presidential
On September 5, the DRC Supreme Court, which was set to release the official results of the election's first round, announced it would be postponing doing so pending two legal challenges which might deem the forthcoming second round of elections unconstitutional.[56] MONUC, however, stated on September 6 that it is satisfied with the electoral process, but expressed concern over the humanitarian situation.[57]
Parliamentary
The CEI postponed releasing the interim results for several days; they were released September 8. As of that date, the CEI was to have fifteen days to set the date for the first session of parliament, notwithstanding any Supreme Court rulings on its final composition.
During late October 2006, as the date for the presidential run-off approached, security concerns were increasingly expressed. On October 26, the CEI stated that the North Kivu province could see security threats. While MONUC stated that they "'do not foresee any major problems,'"[58] the next day, October 27, UN Secretary-General Kofi Annan stated that he was "very concerned about the increasing level of violence as election day approaches"[59][60] The head of the South African observer mission, Mluleki George, stated, however, that he expected the election would "'be held under normal and peaceful conditions.'" As well, rebel leader Laurent Nkunda reiterated he would respect the results,[61] a pledge which was also expressed by Bemba.[62]
On October 29, the South African Broadcasting Corporation (which a day earlier had condemned police violence against its correspondent[63]) reported that despite delays in the Kinshasa area, caused by heavy rains, voting was "running smoothly in most other parts of the DRC."[64] The African Union hailed "the smooth conduct" of the election and appealed for calm as vote counting began.[65] Carter Center chief observer, former Canadian Prime Minister Joe Clark, stated that "attempted manipulation of the electoral process, while very serious in a few cases, appear at this point to be isolated and unlikely to affect the overall success of the vote."[66]
Clashes in Equateur
During the first day of voting, violent clashes in the Equateur province resulted in two fatalities.[67][68] MONUC stated later in the day that "the situation has returned to calm and voting operations are taking place normally throughout Equateur." Additional reports of clashes remained unconfirmed, but these appeared to have been limited to Equateur.[69]
Rioting in Ituri
On October 30, as vote counting began, MONUC reported that a soldier killed two poll workers in the town of Fataki, Ituri Province, resulting in riots which led to the destruction of 43 polling stations. The reason for the shooting remain unclear, but it appears that the soldier was drunk.[70] The soldier has been sentenced to death for the murders.[71]
Partial preliminary results (2nd round)
The results of the presidential run-off were to be released on November 19, 2006.[59] On October 30, voter turnout was estimated to have been low.[72] The head of the CEI, Apollinaire Malumalu, warned on November 1 against releasing partial preliminary results to prevent the same violent clashes which followed during the election's first round.[73]
Pre-release of interim results (2nd round)
Three days later, however, the CEI decided to prerelease partial preliminary results to stem the spread of rumours,[74] a decision analogous to the unscheduled prerelease that took place during the first round. On November 6, results from 12 of 169 constituencies showed Kabila in the lead.[75] On November 8, the two candidates met and issued calls for calm. The meeting came as accusations from Bemba's coalition were directed against the CEI for skewing the results in favour of Kabila, a claim dismissed by a CEI official as false and inflammatory.[76]
On November 10, with votes from 112 of 169 constituencies counted and a voter turnout of about 67 percent, Kabila was leading with about 60 percent of the votes.[77]
Clashes in Kinshasa (2nd round)
On November 11, a shootout took place for several hours after police had fired shorts in the air to disperse Bemba's supporters who demonstrated nearby Bemba's residence in Kinshasa to protest vote counting during the run-off. The shooting ceased after MONUC mediated a meeting between representatives of the two groups. At least four people were reported to have died in the clashes.[78] On November 13, DRC police arrested 337 people, including 87 children, suspected to have been involved in November 11 clashes.[79]
Partial results contested by Bemba
On November 14, Bemba rejected the results of the election,[80] which showed Kabila with 60 to Bemba's 40 percent, with 90 percent of the votes (159 out of 169 constituencies) having been counted. Bemba's supporters stated that "the Union for the Nation will not accept an electoral hold-up that aims to steal victory from the Congolese people", and that they were not bound by their promise to accept the results if they thought there was electoral fraud.[81] Bemba's UFN coalition maintained he was leading with 52 to Kabila's 48 percent.[82]
Interim results (2nd round)
The results released by the CEI on November 15 and were confirmed by the Supreme Court on November 27.
province
registered voters
voted
part.
invalid
empty
counting
Bemba
Kabila
Kinshasa
2,950,884
1,685,250
57.11%
27,082
23,492
1,650,276
1,122,231
528,045
Bas-Congo
1,227,775
633,463
51.59%
19,438
3,807
610,218
452,409
157,809
Bandundu
2,925,126
1,480,921
50.63%
26,580
4,541
1,449,400
877,560
571,840
Equateur
2,923,680
2,468,917
84.45%
20,961
6,067
2,441,889
2,372,326
69,563
Orientale
3,241,423
2,069,325
63.84%
66,909
21,332
1,981,084
406,532
1,574,552
North Kivu
2,451,475
1,888,975
77.05%
33,842
13,100
1,842,033
65,373
1,776,660
South Kivu
1,651,262
1,388,001
84.06%
20,487
3,545
1,363,969
23,115
1,340,854
Maniema
626,327
502,487
80.23%
4,525
1,256
496,706
8,296
488,410
Katanga
3,473,936
2,625,458
75.58%
31,380
7,725
2,586,353
161,378
2,424,975
Kasai Oriental
1,975,430
842,926
42.67%
14,219
3,823
824,884
556,088
268,796
Kasai Occidental
2,010,405
1,033,756
51.42%
20,746
3,221
1,009,789
774,514
235,275
Total
25,420,199
16,615,479
65.36%
286,369
72,509
16,256,601
6,819,822
9,436,779
% total
41.95%
58.05%
Interim results contested by Bemba
On November 17, Bemba told reporters that he rejected the interim results, citing irregularities. He said that he "cannot accept the results that are far from reflecting the truth of the election results," and that he would "use all the legal channels to respect the will of our people."[83] Bemba, on November 18, filed a complaint to the Supreme Court over his claims of electoral irregularities. A member of his UFN coalition had said that: "there were many, many irregularities. It was not at all democratic. We are confident the supreme court will correct the result."[84]
Supreme Court fire
On November 21, part of the Supreme Court building was burned down amid gunfire during a session in which the Court was reviewing an electoral fraud complaint. No casualties were reported. The direct cause for the fire was unclear, but it followed a demonstration by Bemba supporters who were seeking entry into the building. According to Interior Minister Denis Kalume, "armed men who infiltrated the demonstrators opened fire on the police and from then everything went haywire." MONUC, who evacuated judges, lawyers, and CEI officials from the building, attributed the incident to "uncontrolled elements."[85] On November 22, it was announced that the Supreme Court would be relocated to several parts of the capital, and possibly, the country.[86] The South African observation mission and the Carter Center both expressed approval of the second round.[85][87] Bemba's coalition lawyer Delly Sesanga, however, argued in favour of "the cancellation of the poll" due to "too many irregularities."[85] Tensions remained high after the DRC army surrounded Bemba's compound in Kinshasa.[88]
Kabila issues ultimatum to Bemba
On November 23, about 50 soldiers of Bemba's security detail in Kinshasa, estimated at 600-to-1,000 soldiers,[89][90] left his residence there and were moved to one in Maluku following pressure by Kabila for Bemba to move some, or all,[91] of his troops within 48 hours.[92][93] A Kabila official, however, said that this was "absolutely not an ultimatum." Another 100 of Bemba's troops were expected to leave the capital later in the day.[90] On November 24, the "ultimatum" expired with few, if any, additional Bemba troops removed from the capital. This made it increasingly likely that Kabila would order the DRC army, which continued to surround Bemba's compound, to remove Bemba's soldiers itself. Such an act would greatly increase the likelihood for further armed confrontations.[94] MONUC has said that, if needed, its peacekeepers will help the DRC army to enforce the ultimatum.[95]
Offensive by Nkunda in Sake
On November 25, forces loyal to General Laurent Nkunda engaged more than 2,000 soldiers against the DRC army 11th Brigade around the town of Sake (near Goma), Nord-Kivu. Three soldiers and three civilians were killed, and close to 20 people were wounded. MONUC has sent 1,000 soldiers to secure the area. According to UN, "'15 000 and 20 000 people had been displaced by the fighting.'" MONUC spokesperson said that by morning "there were still some shots, but calm was mostly restored," and that Nkunda forces had retreated back and "all of the 11th Brigades's positions are under control,"[96][97] On November 26, MONUC reported that it had clashed with Nkunda's forces who were moving toward Goma, stating: "we fired warning shots from attack helicopters and our troops on the ground have engaged them in Sake."[98] It was later suggested that the attack may not have been related to the election, but rather, was in reaction to the "killing of a Tutsi civilian who was close to one of the commanders in this group." The UN called on the DRC government to negotiate with Nkunda and on November 27, DRC Interior Minister, General Denis Kalume, was sent to eastern DRC to begin negotiations.[99] Sporadic fire was still reported on November 29.[100]
Result (2nd round)
On November 24, three days after the fire, the Supreme Court resumed its activities in a small, heavily guarded room in the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. Bemba lawyers, however, questioned the impartiality and number of judges involved, arguing that too many of them favour Kabila. Bemba's lead attorney Jean-Marie Tshibangu stated that: "it is not the competence of the court but the competence of its composition that we are challenging."[101] On November 26, presiding judge Kalonda Kele said a ruling over Bemba's challenge would be announced the next day.[102]
Supreme Court ruling
On November 27, the Supreme Court dismissed Bemba's challenge as "unfounded" and confirmed that Kabila had won the election, stating that: "Mr Kabila Kabange, Joseph, is proclaimed president of the Democratic Republic of Congo, elected by absolute majority."[103][104]
Aftermath
After being declared winner, Kabila hinted that Bemba would play a role in the new government, stating that "the effort now must be nation building, it must be reconstruction. The government that will be put in place will be a government of coalition."[105] Bemba, who boycotted the hearings after the Supreme Court refused to consider further challenges over alleged "systematic cheating", was not immediately available for comment.[106] On November 28, Bemba released a statement saying that while he condemns the ruling, he accepts the results and is prepared to lead a "strong republican opposition in the interests of the nation".[107][108] Kabila was sworn in as president on December 6.[109]
The region that is now the Democratic Republic of the Congo was first settled about 80,000 years ago. The Kingdom of Congo remained present in the region between the 14th and the early 19th centuries. Belgian colonization began when King Leopold II founded the Congo Free State, a corporate state run solely by King Leopold. Reports of widespread murder and torture in the rubber plantations led the Belgian government to seize the Congo from Leopold II and establish the Belgian Congo. Under Belgian rule numerous Christian organizations attempted to Westernize the Congolese people.
Léon Kengo wa Dondo is a Congolese politician who served as the "first state commissioner" several times under Mobutu Sese Seko in Zaïre. He was one of the most powerful figures in the regime and was a strong advocate of economic globalization and free-market economics. Since 2007, he has been President of the Senate of the Democratic Republic of the Congo.
The Second Congo War began in the Democratic Republic of the Congo in August 1998, little more than a year after the First Congo War, and involved some of the same issues. The war officially ended in July 2003, when the Transitional Government of the Democratic Republic of the Congo took power. Although a peace agreement was signed in 2002, violence has continued in many regions of the country, especially in the east. Hostilities have continued since the ongoing Lord's Resistance Army insurgency, and the Kivu and Ituri conflicts.
The United Nations Organization Stabilization Mission in the Democratic Republic of the Congo or MONUSCO, an acronym based on its French name, is a United Nations peacekeeping force in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) which was established by the United Nations Security Council in resolutions 1279 (1999) and 1291 (2000) of the United Nations Security Council to monitor the peace process of the Second Congo War, though much of its focus subsequently turned to the Ituri conflict, the Kivu conflict and the Dongo conflict. The mission was known as the United Nations Mission in the Democratic Republic of Congo or MONUC, an acronym of its French name Mission de l'Organisation des Nations Unies en République démocratique du Congo, until 2010.
Antoine Gizenga was a Congolese (DRC) politician who was the Prime Minister of the Democratic Republic of the Congo from 30 December 2006 to 10 October 2008. He was the Secretary-General of the Unified Lumumbist Party.
Jean-Pierre Bemba Gombo is a politician in the Democratic Republic of the Congo. He was one of four vice-presidents in the transitional government of the Democratic Republic of the Congo from 17 July 2003 to December 2006. Bemba also leads the Movement for the Liberation of the Congo (MLC), a rebel group turned political party. He received the second-highest number of votes in the 2006 presidential election. In January 2007 he was elected to the Senate.
Dr. Oscar Kashala Lukumuena is a politician in the Democratic Republic of the Congo and was a candidate in the 2006 presidential election.
Gubernatorial elections were held in the Democratic Republic of the Congo on 27 January 2007, though they were originally scheduled for 16 January and 19 January. The governors and vice-governors were chosen through indirect election by the members of the provincial assemblies; the delay was a result of the difficulties in choosing traditional chiefs to fill the places reserved for them in the provincial assemblies. The second round of voting would only have been necessary in those cases where no candidate had received an absolute majority in the first round, which was not the case anywhere. However, voting was rescheduled in Kasai-Occidental and Kasai-Oriental on 10 February to 15 February, because the Union of the Nation candidates were disqualified because they held dual citizenship.
Congolese history in the 2000s has primarily revolved around the Second Congo War (1998–2003) and the empowerment of a transitional government.
The Kivu conflict began in 2004 in the eastern Congo as an armed conflict between the military of the Democratic Republic of the Congo (FARDC) and the Hutu Power group Democratic Forces for the Liberation of Rwanda (FDLR) in the Democratic Republic of the Congo. It has broadly consisted of three phases, the third of which is an ongoing conflict. Prior to March 2009, the main combatant group against the FARDC was the National Congress for the Defence of the People (CNDP). Following the cessation of hostilities between these two forces, rebel Tutsi forces, formerly under the command of Laurent Nkunda, became the dominant opposition to the government forces.
In all areas of the Democratic Republic of the Congo, the human rights record remained considerably poor, and numerous serious abuses were committed. Unlawful killings, disappearances, torture, rape, and arbitrary arrest and detention by security forces increased during the year, and the transitional government took few actions to punish violators. Harsh and life-threatening conditions in prison and detention facilities; prolonged pretrial detention; lack of an independent and effective judiciary; and arbitrary interference with privacy, family, and home also remained serious problems. Security forces continued to recruit and retain child soldiers and to compel forced labour by adults and children.
Denis Kalume Numbi is a general and a politician in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC). He was part of the Antoine Gizenga government as Minister of State for the Interior, Decentralization and Security. He was replaced in this position on 26 October 2008 by Celestin Mbuyu Kabango when the government headed by Adolphe Muzito was formed.
The National Congress for the Defence of the People is a political armed militia established by Laurent Nkunda in the Kivu region of the Democratic Republic of the Congo in December 2006. The CNDP was engaged in the Kivu conflict, an armed conflict against the military of the Democratic Republic of the Congo. In January 2009, the CNDP split and Nkunda was arrested by the Rwanda government. The remaining CNDP splinter faction, led by Bosco Ntaganda, was planned to be integrated into the national army.
The Republican Guard of the Democratic Republic of the Congo, formerly known as the Special Presidential Security Group, is maintained by President Joseph Kabila. Military of the Democratic Republic of the Congo (FARDC) military officials state that the Garde Républicaine is not the responsibility of FARDC, but the Head of State. Apart from Article 140 of the Law on the Army and Defence, no legal stipulation on the DRC's Armed Forces makes provision for the GR as a distinct unit within the national army. In February 2005, President Joseph Kabila passed a decree which appointed the GR's commanding officer and 'repealed any previous provisions contrary' to that decree. The GR is more than 10,000 strong, and formerly consisted of three brigades, the 10th, at Kinshasa, the 15th, and the 16th, at Lubumbashi. It has better working conditions and is paid regularly, but still commits numerous crimes near their bases, including against United Nations officials.
Presidential and parliamentary elections were held in Democratic Republic of the Congo on 28 November 2011; a facultative run-off on 26 February 2012 was shelved with a change in election laws.
The Rally for Congolese Democracy–Goma was a faction of the Rally for Congolese Democracy, a rebel movement based in Goma, Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) during the Second Congo War (1998–2003). After the war, some members of the group continued sporadic fighting in North Kivu. The movement also entered mainstream politics, participating in democratic elections with little success.
The Land Forces, also called the Congolese army, are the land warfare component and the largest branch of the Armed Forces of the Democratic Republic of the Congo (FARDC).
General elections were held in the Democratic Republic of the Congo on 30 December 2018, to determine a successor to President Joseph Kabila, as well as for the 500 seats of the National Assembly and 715 provincial council seats. It was announced on 10 January 2019 that Félix Tshisekedi (UDPS) won with 38.6% of the vote, defeating another opposition candidate, Martin Fayulu, and Emmanuel Ramazani Shadary, backed by the ruling party PPRD. Fayulu alleged that the vote was rigged against him in a deal made by Tshisekedi and outgoing President Kabila, challenging the result in the DRC's Constitutional Court. Different election observers, including those from the country's Roman Catholic Church, also cast doubt on the official result. Nonetheless on 20 January the Court rejected his appeal and declared Tshisekedi as the winner. Parties supporting President Kabila won the majority of seats in the National Assembly. Félix Tshisekedi was sworn in as the 5th President of the Democratic Republic of the Congo on 24 January 2019, making it the first peaceful transition of power in the country since it became independent from Belgium in 1960.
↑ "CIAT includes the ambassadors of the five United Nations Security Council permanent members: UK, PRC, France, Russia and the US; as well as Angola, Belgium, Canada, Gabon, Zambia and South Africa and officials from the UN peacekeeping mission MONUC, the European Union and the African Union."
This page is based on this Wikipedia article Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply. Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.
