Information service of the Pontifical Mission Societies since 1927
Kinshasa (Fides Service) - Observers of various different religions are monitoring voting in the constitution referendum taking place in Democratic Congo. This monitoring service is organised by Inter-diocesan Hall at the offices of the Catholic Bishops Conference. Voting will last two days, 18 and 19 December. According to local News agency DIA the vote was peaceful apart from some cases of intimidation in east Kasai.
To verify the vote some 5,000 observers are present in 47 centres all over the country. About 25 million voters are called to vote in one of 40,000 polling stations. This free and democratic vote is a landmark event for Congo.
Sad to say according to international sources some people were killed and others injured in incidents today 19 December. In disorder at two polling stations in eastern Congo two people were killed. A four month old baby was killed when people stampeded at a polling station in Rutshuru, about 60 km north of Goma, the mother was knocked over in the rush. The news was given by a government official who said a woman had been killed in a similar incident at another polling station.
The draft electoral law on which the people are called to express their opinion consecrates the principle that "the people are the exclusive source of power ". The people express their power with direct election of the President of the Republic, national and provincial MPs, municipal, sector and locality counsellors and indirect vote for senators, governors vice and provincial governors urban counsellors, mayors and deputy mayors and district chiefs.
The draft electoral law proposes that the president will be elected with a majority vote in two rounds. Only the two candidates with the most votes stand in the second round. It explains that this will allow the president to be elected by an absolute majority of electors and consequently with unquestionable legitimacy.
The local Church encouraged people to vote although it did not indicate how people should vote. CARTEC a body set up by the local Church for the ‘Co-ordination of operations for successful transition’ launched an awareness campaign with regard to the vote. If the new constitution is approved elections must be called before June 30 and this will end the interim periods as established by peace agreement signed in Pretoria in December 2002. (L.M.) (Agenzia Fides 19/12/2005 righe 41 parole 512)
