Legislative elections in Lubero: aspiring MPs hindered from campaigning in militia-controlled regions

The NGO called Colloque d’intervenants pour la démocratie, l’environnement et les droits de l’homme (CIDED), accused on Monday, December 4th, the armed groups of preventing certain candidates for the legislative and provincial elections from campaigning in areas under their control.

According to this human rights NGO, candidates who do not clearly support the self-defense groups known as Wazalendo are being prevented from accessing areas under the occupation of local armed groups.

"Local armed groups are stopping other candidates who do not align with this stance from campaigning in certain areas. And this creates a lot of frustration and conflicts that need to be addressed before the situation worsens. There need to be sanctions against candidates who manipulate these groups and who break the social cohesion that has been gradually established," recommended Joseph Malikidogo, the executive secretary of the NGO CIDED.

According to civil society in Lubero, as well as security sources, at least 80% of the Lubero territory is under the occupation of local armed groups.