Felix Tshisekedi–Presidential candidate
The Headed for Change movement (CAP for Changement – CACH), is dismayed but not much surprised by the announcement by Mr. Corneille Nagaa president of the Independent National Electoral Commission (CENI) that the election –much awaited by all our country’s people– has been postponed to December 30, 2018 from the original date of December 23, 2018.
The CACH warned the national and international community that Mr. Joseph Kabila has never had the slightest intention of allowing free, democratic and transparent elections to be held at the end of his second and most recent term, which expired on December 19, 2016. Yet CACH is courageously in favor of participating in the elections, with or without voting machines.
Long before the announced postponement of the election date we observed: on the one hand, excessive military deployment throughout the nation; and, violations of the electoral law, particularly Article 28 by some of the provincial Governors, including that of Kinshasa, who allowed themselves to curtail the electoral campaigns.
The CACH remains convinced that Joseph Kabila does not wish to leave office nor organize elections in even in accordance with the new deadline just announced. For the reasons above, CACH therefore:
1. Reaffirms its well-known position of going to the polls, with or without the voting machines.
2. Condemns in the strongest terms this further maneuver by Joseph Kabila, who is seizing the electoral process as a means of keeping himself in power illegally.
3. Issues a severe warning to Mr. Joseph Kabila that the CACH will not accept any other postponements, even of one additional day.
4. Affirms that it will continue its campaign up to 24 hours before the polls open in keeping with Article 28 of the Elections law; this means campaigning up to midnight, December 28, 2018.
5. Appeals to the sovereign people of our country to be vigilant; but also makes similar appeal to the international community, particularly our neighboring countries, the U.N., the A.U., the S.A.D.C., and the U.S.A.
6. Calls on the Congolese people to mobilize to ensure that the elections of December 30, 2018 are held, by engaging in peaceful mass actions; and if otherwise, to take actions and increase their mobilization until the regime of Joseph Kabila is gone.
Kinshasa, 21 December 2018 For the CACH:
By Félix TSHISEKEDI (Signed)
By Vital KAMERHE (signed)
