Twenty-four candidates, including incumbent President Felix Tshisekedi, have registered to run in the the Democratic Republic of Congo’s presidential election on December 20, the electoral commission CENI said on Sunday.
The political climate in the country has risen in recent weeks as the much anticipated polls draw closer.
Tshisekedi, who submitted his candidacy to CENI on Saturday, was nominated by the ruling political coalition, the Sacred Union, as its candidate on October 1.
Other candidates that filed their candidatures include Martin Fayulu, who lost to Tshisekedi in the December 2018 election, former Prime Minister Adolphe Muzito, long-time opposition figure Moise Katumbi and Nobel prize-winning gynecologist Denis Mukwege.
The CENI has said it is confident of holding credible elections, and that preparations for the vote are on track amid opposition claims of irregularities with the electoral roll.
Following the completion of the registration of presidential candidates, CENI published an electoral timeline that will guide the country’s run up to the polls.
Beginning Monday until October 14, candidates will be allowed to withdraw their candidatures.
From October 18-19, CENI will scrutinize the submissions for approval before publishing the provisional list of presidential candidates.
From October 23 to November 1, CENI will allow for any potential petitions against the final list of presidential candidates, with judgements expected between November 2 – 4.
On November 18, CENI will publish the final list of the registered presidential candidates.
Insecurity and the economy are seen as some of the biggest topics in the country as the polls inch closer.
In the run up to the elections, the DR Congo has seen a rise in insecurity as armed groups intensify war on civilians and the DR Congo army in parts of the country.
The head of the United Nation’s peacekeeping mission (MONUSCO) there, Bintou Keita, said in September that the volatility and tensions show no signs of abating.
Conflict has displaced more than six million people in the country, and tensions have also grown between the DR Congo and MONUSCO, which has led to Kinshasa calling for the departure of the peacekeeping mission starting at the end of the year.
