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After 40 years, the Democratic Republic of Congo says yes
Image courtesy of IRIN news
On Sunday 18 December, 2005, the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) took another important step forward in its transition by voting 'yes' to the country's new Constitution. This Constitution will guarantee checks on Presidential powers, increase decentralisation, and establish an independent judiciary – all intended to bring to an end decades of dictatorship and years of conflict.
The peaceful and largely free and fair Referendum gave Congolese people the first chance to vote in over 40 years. Provisional results indicate an 83% vote 'yes' in favour of the Constitution, with a high voter turnout of about 60% nationwide.
In Eastern DRC, which has suffered most from years of conflict, the 'yes' vote went above 90%. The result means the new Constitution can be adopted, enabling the DRC to go to Presidential, Parliamentary and provincial elections in the first half of 2006.
The international community has congratulated the Congolese people for their massive participation to register as voters (25 million registered). It also praised DRC's Independent Electoral Commission for its peaceful and credible organisation of the Referendum, which overcame huge logistical problems organising elections in a country with a shattered infrastructure, and the size of Western Europe.
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How
AllAfrica.com reported it -
BBC
coverage: DR backs new constitution (21 Dec, 2005) and
DRC
timeline
Moving forward to free, fair elections
Some voters in Goma, the provincial capital of North Kivu, started lining up
at polling stations at 05:30 on polling day, two hours before they opened. The
majority of Congolese are clearly determined to see the transition process move
forward leading to free and fair elections by June 2006.
“I don’t know what is contained in this draft,” one voter, Immaculée Kitukuyi,
told
IRIN (UN news service) in Goma, “but I know the ‘yes’ vote is the start for
peace in our country and we are tired of war.”
Neither enormous communications and transport difficulties, nor limited knowledge of the legal intricacies of the draft constitution could halt an entire people’s resolve to see a new dawn for their country after decades of misrule.
The referendum was observed by the European Union Observer Mission, who were joined by a number of DFID and British Embassy staff. One commented that "the day marked a crucial phase in the transition to democracy in DRC and everyone was relieved that everything had passed off very peacefully."
Satisfied with the voting operations the UN Mission to DR Congo (MONUC) commented through its deputy spokesman that the “The Congolese have every reason to be pleased with the remarkable organisation of the polls without any major incident.”
Key facts
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DFID is the largest bilateral donor to the electoral process in DRC, spending £22m through the UN and NGOs for support to the Independent Electoral Commission's voter registration process and elections operations, assisting elections policing, and supporting civil society and political parties to prevent conflict and provide mass civic education
- Beyond elections, DFID and the international community will support the new republic of DRC in pursuit of the Millennium Development Goals
- Through multinationals and non-governmental organisations, DFID supports programmes aimed at re-establishing security and the rule of law, investing in transport links, delivering health and education services, and improving the management of natural resources. The current £55 million package for 2005/6 is set to increase, providing the transition process remains on track