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Concerns about the independence of the election committee triggered demonstrations.
Police in the Democratic Republic of Congo fired tear gas as members of the ruling party tried to prevent tens of thousands of people from marching in search of a neutral election commission.
On Saturday, about 10,000 opposition demonstrators marched through the streets of Kinshasa and demolished the statue of President Felix Tshisekedi.
Witnesses told Reuters that members of the ruling Democratic and Social Progress Party (UDPS) met with them and they tried to stop the demonstration by throwing petrol bombs.
The police fired tear gas to disperse them, allowing the demonstration to continue.
The protest was triggered by the proposal of six religious groups to appoint Denis Kadima as the head of the Independent National Electoral Commission (CENI).
The religious groups authorized by the constitution to nominate CENI leaders by consensus have been arguing and failing to reach an agreement for months.
Kadima’s nomination was met with outrage because he was deemed corrupt and had a close relationship with Tshisekedi.
Political analysts and diplomats criticized CENI’s role in the controversial 2018 vote, which Tshisekedi becomes president.
Opposition leaders Martin Fayulu and Tshisekedi reached an election agreement before the 2018 general election, but Tshisekedi eventually split into another political group before voting.
CENI announced that Tshisekedi had won, and Fayulu said he had won an overwhelming victory, ranking second.
Fayulu and former prime minister Adolphe Muzito were among the leaders of Saturday’s protests.
Tshisekedi is expected to seek re-election when Congolese voters return to the polls in 2023, and CENI may once again play a key role.
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