EU concerned over “hate speech” during the DRC campaign

The European Union in a statement published Tuesday (Dec. 19)  “expressed concern about the hate speech, violence and incidents that have marked the last few days of the campaign,” in the Democratic Republic of Congo

If the bloc welcomed the active participation of all stakeholders in the campaign which ended on Monday (Dec.18), it still noted “serious human rights violations and abuses”.

The spokesperson for the EU diplomacy cited a report by the UN.

Adding that “the launch of investigations in order to prosecute the perpetrators” of the alleged violations was up to the authorities of the DRC.

The EU, a 27-nation bloc, also reiterated the DRC authorities’ were responsible for ” to ensuring an “inclusive, free, transparent and peaceful electoral process”,

Forty-four million Congolese are registered to vote in Wednesday’s presidential, parliamentary, provincial, and municipal elections.

War in the east, allegations of foreign interference, concerns over the credibility of the electoral commission as well as the assassination of candidates are some of the issues that dominated the campaign.

19 candidates are vying for the presidency including the incumbent president. Whoever arrives first win as there is no run-off election.