AS THE Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) prepares to hold elections on December 23, the world is anxiously waiting to see what the outcome will be.
President Lungu, who is chairperson of the Southern African Development Committee (SADC) organ on politics, defence and security, has called for credible elections and consensus among the stakeholders.
He said the stakes are high, and so are anxieties.
We could not agree more. The DRC elections are important in many ways.
First, because of the country’s checkered history.
For decades, this vast, mineral-rich country has known little peace and there has never been a peaceful handover of power from a sitting president to a new leader.
The very name “Congo” has become synonymous with conflict, with a bloody streak since King Leopold II of Belgium invaded the region around the 1870s.
King Leopold II is said to have killed millions of Congolese.
These killings continued in the post-independence period in 1960.
The conflicts in Congo offer staggering statistics.
In 2001, a US refugee agency said the war had killed 2.5 million people, directly or indirectly, since August 1998.