SADC WILL BEAR THE CONSEQUENCES IF CONGO-DR IMPLODES
To have peaceful, free, and fair December elections in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), certain conditions have to prevail in the country and the hearts of the Congolese people.
There ought to be a conducive atmosphere. The concerns of all key players must be adequately addressed.
We therefore call upon SADC to take a keen interest in the unfortunate occurrences in DRC ahead of the December parliamentary and presidential elections and help the key players resolve their differences and disagreements.
The judicial criminality and electoral fraud, which is currently brewing in the DRC, shouldn’t be allowed to continue. It’s the responsibility of SADC through the organ on Politics, Defence and Security Cooperation (Troika), which is presently chaired by Mr Hakainde Hichilema, to help the Congolese have peaceful, free, and fair elections.
The Troika’s mandate is to steer member states and provide them with guidance regarding matters that threaten peace, security, and stability in the region. And the current situation obtaining in the DRC qualifies for immediate SADC action or intervention before it’s too late.
As current chairperson of the organ on Politics, Defence and Security Cooperation, Mr Hichilema must draw a commitment from Mr Felix Tshisekedi for free and fair elections in the DRC. The current attempts by Mr Tshisekedi to use the court system to stay in power at all costs must be condemned and halted forthwith.
We are aware that Mr Tshisekedi is trying to use the courts to remove strong opponents he fears, such as Mr Moise Chapwe Katumbi, from the December elections ballot paper.
This brazen attempt was exposed in recent events where Mr Katumbi’s candidature was challenged in the Constitutional Court. Equally, Mr Tshisekedi’s candidature was challenged in the same court, and the petitioners in both matters lodged their petitions on the same day, October 23, 2023. This was after the deadline for filing petitions had lapsed.
However, in Mr Tshisekedi’s matter, the DRC Constitutional Court decided not hear the matter on account of the petition being filed out of time. But surprisingly, the same court ruled it would go ahead and hear Mr Katumbi’s matter. This is in the face of both petitions being filed on the same day and past the deadline.
How can one matter be admissible and the other be inadmissible in the same court? What type of electoral fraud is this? What type of judicial criminality is this? Why is Mr Tshisekedi scared of the will of the people? And why is Mr Hichilema, who is the incumbent chairperson of the SADC organ on Politics, Defence and Security Cooperation, conveniently silent? Is it because he is now friends with Mr Tshisekedi?
We would caution Mr Hichilema to look into these matters neutrally because, as it stands now, the DRC is on the verge of a major electoral crisis, which might plunge the country into chaos. Mr Hichilema must be concerned with Mr Tshisekedi’s irresponsible attempts to eliminate a strong candidate – Mr Katumbi – because once the DRC implodes, it is SADC, and Zambia in particular, that will bear the consequences of the humanitarian crisis that will unfold.
Therefore, it is in the best interest of SADC, and Mr Hichilema in particular, to proactively address the electoral process ahead of the December parliamentary and presidential elections before the situation degenerates into chaos.
Allowing the current judicial criminality and electoral fraud in the DRC to continue without any intervention from SADC is postponing trouble for the region.
Fred M’membe
President of the Socialist Party [Zambia]
But when the same was said about zanu-pf in Zimbabwe you were the first to point fingers at President Hichilema calling him a puppet. What rubbish sits in your head?
I’m sorry to say this but I think Mr. Mmembe is not normal. Is he not the same man who castigated the same SADC he is calling upon today for trying help Zimbabwe have fair elections? He spent weeks demonizing president HH, Dr. Mumba and SADC over Zimbabwe elections forgetting he is slowing destroying an institution which could also help him should the need arise. I think he urgently need psychiatric help because he does not seem to be okay in mind the mind.
This writing is aimed at HH.
I wish Meembe had done the same for Zimbabwe
Fred M’membe is showing understandale concern about the situation in the DR Congo. SADC unfortunately is too weak to help. I doubt it myself that competitive elections can ever be held peacefully in Congo. Not even a good man or woman who gets elected in Congo can govern the country effectively because all key state institutions are broken. Congo needs UN help as a temporary mandate state in order to help it build basic government operations side-by-side with Congolese civil servants so that they learn how to serve the common good. I hope Fred M’membe will consider the issue on these lines.
Is he not the same character who was insulting SADC a few months ago?? What does Fred smoke.
He is the one.
Imagine!!
This chap is really and totally confused!!!
Yes ba Ben. He is the same character who criticized SADC over their candid position regarding the Zim elections. He is not ashamed to contradict himself.
He rubbished SADC just to get at HH and he is doing it in this article for the same reason. In the process he is losing the little credibility he had.
What is obtaining in the Congo is what was happening in Zimbabwe. So Dr. M’membe, for consistency, support the ruling party.