Congo Elections: Introduction of Biometrics, Opponents Denounce Their Exclusion

They were not invited on Tuesday, March 12, to the reflection on the use of biometrics in the electoral process initiated by the Minister of the Interior, Decentralization and Local Development, Raymond Zéphirin Mboulou.

Sixteen opposition political parties denounce their exclusion from the meeting convened by the Minister of the Interior, Decentralization and Local Development, Raymond Zéphirin Mboulou. Held last Tuesday, March 12, the purpose of the meeting was to discuss the possibility of introducing the biometric voter card into the electoral process.

Among these political parties are mentioned La Chaîne, of the Rally for Democracy and Development, of the Patriotic Union for National Renewal, of the Renaissance, of the National Council of Republicans, of the Congress of African Democrats and others. It was in a statement published on the same Tuesday, the day of the meeting, that they expressed their indignation.

“The opposition political parties excluded from the meeting recall that the national political class is composed of political parties constituted in accordance with Law No. 20-2017 of May 12, 2017, on the organic law relating to the conditions of creation, existence, and modalities of financing of political parties. They remind him that the grouping exists only by the will of the political parties, in accordance with the aforementioned law which stipulates: ‘Political parties can form a union or political group, an alliance or a merger of parties,'” they said in their statement.

These political parties denounce the attitude of the Minister of the Interior in violation of the Constitution and the law and announce the creation of the inter-coalition.