2019 Democratic Republic of the Congo Senate election
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{{Politics of the Democratic Republic of the Congo}}
Senate elections were held in the Democratic Republic of the Congo on 14 March 2019 to elect the 108 Senators. Former DRC President Joseph Kabila, who stepped down from office in January 2019 following the inauguration of the recently elected Félix Tshisekedi, has also joined the upper house of the legislature as a senator for life, for a total of 109 seats.Bujakera, Stanis (15 March 2019). [https://www.reuters.com/article/us-congo-politics/congo-ex-leader-kabilas-coalition-wins-decisive-senate-majority-idUSKCN1QW28R Congo ex-leader Kabila's coalition wins decisive senate majority]. Reuters. Accessed 21 March 2019.
Background
The Senate is elected indirectly by the 780 members of the provincial assemblies.Alia Chughtai, Hamza Mohamed (28 December 2018). [https://www.aljazeera.com/indepth/interactive/2018/12/democratic-republic-congo-elections-2018-181228120427725.html Democratic Republic of the Congo: Elections 2018]. Al Jazeera.
This Senate election was postponed one year from an earlier date in June 2012 and another year from a later date in June 2013.{{Cite web|url=http://radiookapi.net/actualite/2012/06/26/rdc-les-elections-municipales-locales-risquent-detre-annulees-faute-de-financement/|title=RDC : Les élections municipales et locales risquent d'être annulées, faute de financement|date=26 June 2012}}{{Cite web|url=http://radiookapi.net/emissions-2/dialogue-entre-congolais/2013/03/28/ce-soir-la-problematique-de-lorganisation-des-elections-provinciales-locales-municipales-en-rdc/|title = La problématique de l'organisation des élections provinciales, locales et municipales en RDC|date = 28 March 2013}} The Independent National Electoral Commission (CENI) planned on holding them in early 2016, but they did not occur.Vogel, Christoph (8 April 2016). [http://mgafrica.com/article/2016-04-07-congolese-mathematics Congolese mathematics: Kabila, elections, and the slide rule of dialogue and duress] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180306022810/http://mgafrica.com/article/2016-04-07-congolese-mathematics |date=2018-03-06 }}. Mail and Guardian. Retrieved 4 March 2018.
On 30 December 2018, a general election was held that resulted in opposition leader Félix Tshisekedi being elected president. Incumbent President Joseph Kabila, in office since 2001 and whose constitutional mandate ended in 2016, stepped down from office in January 2019, when Tshisekedi was inaugurated. This was the first democratic transition of power in the DRC since it gained independence from Belgium in 1960. As a former president, Kabila will be a senator for life, according to the DRC's constitution. Kabila-allied parties gained a majority in both the National Assembly and the provincial assemblies, which were also elected on that date.[https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2019/01/felix-tshisekedi-sworn-dr-congo-president-190124132340652.html Opposition leader Felix Tshisekedi sworn in as DR Congo president]. Al Jazeera. Published 24 January 2019.Tounsi, Samir (12 January 2019). [https://www.yahoo.com/news/dr-congo-divided-over-opposition-chiefs-election-112354286.html Pro-Kabila camp wins DRC legislative poll, recount sought for presidency] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190910165855/https://www.yahoo.com/news/dr-congo-divided-over-opposition-chiefs-election-112354286.html |date=2019-09-10 }}. Yahoo News.
Results
The election for the eight seats from the provinces of North Kivu and Mai-Ndombe were delayed.
{{Election results
|image=File:RDC Senat 2019.svg
|party1=Common Front for Congo|seats1=99|color1=#FFCC33
|party2=Lamuka Coalition|seats2=6|color2=#3365AA
|party3=Coalition for Change|seats3=3|color3=#DD0000
|row4=Senator for life|seats4=1
|source=[https://africandailyvoice.com/2019/03/16/rdc-apres-lassemblee-nationale-le-fcc-de-kabila-remporte-la-majorite-absolue-au-senat/ African Daily Voice]
}}
Aftermath
A police officer was killed during protests in the city of Mbuji-Mayi over the massive victory of the Common Front for Congo (FCC) coalition, supported by former President Joseph Kabila. Protests were also held in Kinshasa. Recently inaugurated President Félix Tshisekedi has pledged to reform the country, but his ability to do this will be limited by the fact that the pro-Kabila FCC has the majority of seats in both the National Assembly and also the Senate. Supporters of Tshisekedi's UPDS party protested in Kinshasa and Tshisekedi's strongholds in the central DRC because they alleged that the results were rigged, and party supporters also attacked offices of FCC legislators in Kasaï-Oriental province. In Kinshasa, protests occurred outside the parliament building. Allegations have been made that provincial assemblymen were bribed to vote for the FCC.[https://www.france24.com/en/20190316-violence-drc-after-presidents-party-crushing-senate-defeat Violence in DRC after president's party crushing senate defeat]. France24. Published 16 March 2019.[https://www.africanews.com/2019/03/16/drc-ruling-party-fails-to-get-senate-seat-kabila-coalition-dominates/ DRC ruling party fails to get Senate seat, Kabila coalition dominates]. Africanews.com. Published 16 March 2019.[https://www.newsghana.com.gh/dr-congos-ruling-party-demonstrates-after-senatorial-elections/ DR Congo’s Ruling Party Demonstrates After Senatorial Elections]. News Ghana. Published 18 March 2019.
References
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{{Democratic Republic of the Congo Senate elections}}
Category:2019 in the Democratic Republic of the Congo