HE disrupted as academics take part in electioneering

As citizens from the Democratic Republic of the Congo get ready to vote on who will lead their country after the election on 20 December, teaching and learning at different universities have been disrupted as several senior academic staff members have allegedly neglected their educational responsibilities to campaign for political office.

On election day, simultaneous elections will be held for various positions, including the president, members of the National Assembly, elected members of the 26 provincial assemblies, and, for the first time under the new constitution, members of some commune (municipal) councils.

Sources have told University World News that some academics who are competing for top political jobs such as governors or members of parliament have participated in rallies in different areas, paralysing academic activities.

The sources added that some of the academics have been campaigning on campuses and have been mobilising students to support them. However, these actions are contravening electoral law.

What does the electoral law say?

According to article 10 of the law governing elections for the president, members of parliament, provincial and districts, anyone who is “a public servant and seeks a senior position should tender a resignation letter to the national electoral commission … for them to be eligible”.

However, students and academic staff have raised concerns over a disregard for this article.

“We have a serious issue at our universities … there are lecturers and rectors or heads of universities who have submitted their candidacies for different positions and they are campaigning. It is almost impossible for them to focus on academic activities,” said one student from l’Institut Supérieur Pédagogique Technique de Kinshasa, who preferred anonymity. A senior leader at the institution is running for office.

Similarly, an academic and research manager at the Université Pédagogique Nationale is seeking to head the province. Elsewhere, at the Institut Supérieur de Statistique de Kinshasa, the director general is vying for a top position, at the l’Institut National du Bâtiment et des Travaux Publics/Ngaliema, the director general is a candidate for the provincial leadership, while at l’Université officielle de Mbuji-Mayi, the director of finance is also participating in the elections.

Despite concerns over the impact of political campaigning on academic activities, no action has so far been taken against academics.

The National Electoral Commission in the Democratic Republic of the Congo appears to have remained silent on the involvement of academics in the election and has accepted submissions without considering whether the candidate had resigned from their previous position or not.

The National Electoral Commission and the ministry for higher education have not responded to enquiries from University World News about the matter. Academics who are running for office have also not responded to questions.