FORUM DES AS headline: "Noise about corruption of provincial deputies by senatorial and gubernatorial candidates: Fatshi warns both bribers and the bribed"

"Allegations of corruption among provincial deputies by senatorial and gubernatorial candidates were reportedly brought to the attention of the President of the Republic, Félix Tshisekedi, who has instructed the Minister of State for Justice, Rose Mutombo, to punish both the corrupters and the corrupted,"

"President Félix Tshisekedi discussed with Minister of State Rose Mutombo on Tuesday about the behavior of various provincial deputies who would be selling their votes to senatorial and gubernatorial candidates," reports this newspaper, quoting the Presidency.

During this audience granted at the African Union City, he, the Supreme Magistrate and guarantor of the proper functioning of institutions, "asked Rose Mutombo to liaise with the Attorney General at the Court of Cassation, to draw attention of various general prosecutors to all these noises of corruption".

"This must stop. We cannot continue to accept such blatant corruption. There must be severe sanctions for anyone caught monetizing their vote," declared the Minister of Justice at the end of the audience, continues FORUM DES AS, paraphrasing the Minister of Justice.

Respectively scheduled for the 31st of March and the 7th of April 2024, the senatorial elections, as well as the gubernatorial and deputy gubernatorial elections, have been postponed by three weeks. The revised calendar, as published by the CENI, has scheduled the senatorial elections for April 21st and the voting for governors and deputy governors for the 28th of the same month, reminds this tabloid.

Still on this subject, "Senatorial and gubernatorial elections: Warning against potential bribers and the bribed", headlines LA REFERENCE PLUS.

Bribers and the bribed, respectively the senatorial candidates, governors and provincial deputies are under scrutiny for these upcoming elections. The President of the Republic, Félix Tshisekedi, alerts the Minister of State, Minister of Justice and Keeper of the Seals, Rose Mutombo, about the behavior of various provincial deputies who would be selling their votes to the candidates.

"Félix Tshisekedi warns corruption enthusiasts," LA PROSPERITE, which also focuses on this subject. He has called for the involvement of the Attorney General at the Court of Cassation for severe sanctions that can significantly contribute to discouraging this form of business, which has curiously become the main feature of the last turns of the electoral cycles in the DRC, it writes.

Regarding the publication of the final results of the legislative elections of December 20, 2023, in its column, titled "The Constitutional Court derails the vultures", FORUM DES AS notes: "After the final ruling of the Constitutional Court, only those who reproach themselves for something are agitated."

By the will of the Constitution, in its Article 168, "decisions of the Constitutional Court are not subject to any recourse and are immediately enforceable. They are mandatory and apply to public authorities, all administrative and judicial authorities, civil and military, as well as to individuals," indicates our colleague.

Compared with the disputes of 2018-2019 where there were proven evidences of corruption, mentions FORUM DES AS, scandalous verdicts and protests the day after the rulings, tensions within the political class and a public opinion that was totally divided and which cried out at the shame of justice.

Moreover, it maintains, after the final ruling, which contains the names of all the elected officials, no further recourse can change the fate of what is sealed by a definitive ruling. Thus, without the sense of state and submission to the laws of the Republic, emotions for the sake of victimization take over and annihilate reason.

Boni Tsala