As the mineral-rich DR Congo prepares to vote for a new president this December, opponents are already crying foul.
Tensions are rising in the Democratic Republic of the Congo as it prepares for presidential and parliamentary elections while struggling to contain myriad armed groups wreaking havoc in the mineral-rich east.
The nation of about 100 million people is a battleground for more than 120 groups fighting for land and resources, some reportedly backed by or intervening in neighbouring countries, such as Angola, Burundi, the Central African Republic, Uganda and Rwanda.
As election day approaches on December 20, government-aligned forces are battling the M23 group, which UN experts claim is backed by Rwanda. This comes on top of decades of war sparked by overspill from the Rwandan genocide in 1994. An estimated six million people have died since, with nearly seven million others displaced. Widespread insecurity has left more than a million without voter cards.
The African Union and the influential Catholic Church cast doubt on the results of the last poll in 2018, which saw incumbent Felix Tshisekedi emerge victorious over civil society favourite Martin Fayulu. Now, as the country once again prepares to vote, critics claim the president has the Independent National Electoral Commission in his pocket.
For the rest of this article: https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2023/12/7/conflict-weary-dr-congo-votes-on-december-20-a-guide-to-the-election