Democratic Republic of Congo: The elector's card, including the date when it came into force and its appearance, security features and functions; the documents required and the procedure to obtain the card (2011-June 2013)

1. Use of the Elector's Card as an Identity Card

Sources state that there is no identity card in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) (sociétécivile.cd 27 Apr. 2013; EU [2012], 50, 53; Le Palmarès 14 Apr. 2011). According to Slate Afrique, an African news website (Traversées africaines Dec. 2012), the former Congolese identity card that existed in the DRC became invalid in 1997 when former President Mobutu fell from power (Slate Afrique 22 June 2011). An article in the Congolese daily newspaper, Le Palmarès, states that that former identity card was produced for the first and last time in 1974 (14 Apr. 2011). The elector's card is used as proof of identity in the country (EU [2012], 32, 50; DRC 2004, ii).

2. General Information on the Elector's Card

Each citizen of the DRC who is at least 18 years old may obtain an elector's card that enables them to vote in the country's elections (ibid.; Pourtier 2012; para. 5; EU [2012], 32). An elector's card was issued for the first time in 2005-2006 in conjunction with the registration of those eligible to vote (ibid.; ACP-UE Aug. 2006). According to an article in e-Courier, an electronic magazine that reports on development and is published jointly by the African, Caribbean and Pacific Group of States (ACP) and the European Union (EU) (Groupe des États d'Afrique, des Caraïbes et du Pacifique et l'Union européenne), [ACP-EU English version] "the elector's card...is, for the majority of the population, the first identity document that they have ever received" (ACP-UE Aug. 2006).

A new electoral list was established for the 2011 elections (Pourtier 2012, para. 5; EU [2012], 32; La Prospérité 1 Mar. 2010). The existing elector's cards were withdrawn from circulation and replaced by a new card (ibid.; Congo Planète 28 July 2010; RFI 8 Mar. 2010).

3. Procedure to Obtain an Elector's Card

Congolese citizens may obtain an elector's card by proving their identity and by registering themselves on the electoral list (Pourtier 2012, para. 5; EU [2012], 32). Sources state that in order to register, an individual must be at least 18 years old and be of Congolese nationality (ibid.; Pourtier 2012, para. 5). An article analyzing the 2011 elections in the DRC, written by a professor emeritus of geography at Université Paris-1 Panthéon-Sorbonne and published by EchoGéo, a scientific journal that addresses international news from the perspective of geographers (EchoGéo n.d.), states that, according to the rules established by the Independent National Electoral Commission (Commission électorale nationale indépendante, CENI) of the DRC, [translation] "an individual must be at least 18 years old and of Congolese nationality to be registered at the registration centre associated with their home" (Pourtier 2012, para. 5). A report on the 2011 elections produced by an electoral observation mission of the European Union (EU) also states that, upon registration, [translation] "Congolese citizens must respect the territorial jurisdiction of the registration centres (Centres d'inscription, CI) based on their principal or temporary place of residence" (EU [2012], 32). According to the Professor Emeritus, [translation] "the information that must be provided is completely standard: surname and given name, place and date of birth, gender, name of father and mother, sector, chieftaincy, territory and province of origin, address" (Pourtier 2012, para. 5).

In addition, individuals who want to be added to the electoral list must provide identification documents (EU [2012], 32; DRC 2004, ii). According to electoral law,

[translation]

the identification documents required must be issued by an officer of civil status or similar identification, such as the certificate of nationality or documentation serving as a certificate of nationality, passport, secure national driver's licence, Congolese pension booklet issued by the National Institute of Social Security (Institut national de sécurité sociale) or by any other Congolese institution that is legally recognized as such, student card and service card (ibid., iii).

In his article, the Professor Emeritus adds that, although providing this information should not be difficult in principle, [translation] "many Congolese do not have all the documents required" (Pourtier 2012, para. 5). When a Congolese citizen does not have documentary evidence, they may call upon local witnesses who are registered on the elector's lists at the registration centre (ibid.; EU [2012], 32; DRC 2004, Art. 10). Electoral law in the DRC states that these witnesses must have lived [translation] "in the place for five years and be known by the majority of people in the community" (ibid., iii).

The Professor Emeritus stated that [translation] "these notions of 'place' and 'community' cause the implementation of the procedure to be unclear, especially when there is an issue of nationality, such as in North and South Kivu" (Pourtier 2012, para. 5). In addition, sources refer to cases in which elector's cards were obtained fraudulently by people who did not know the voter, but who nevertheless acted as a witness (Infosbascongo 10 Aug. 2010; Syfia Grands Lacs 21 Aug. 2010). The news agency Syfia Grands Lacs mentions a case in which fraudulent student cards were sold as proof of identity for electoral registration in the province of Bas-Congo (ibid.). Children around the age of 10 were able to obtain elector's cards (Slate Afrique 22 June 2011; France 24 20 June 2011; Le Potentiel 18 June 2011).

4. Appearance and Content of the Elector's Card

The elector's card is a laminated card that includes the voter's photograph (Pourtier 2012, para. 5; DRC 2004, ii). According to an overview of the legislation governing the DRC elections, prepared by the Electoral Institute for Sustainable Democracy in Africa (EISA), an NGO based in South Africa that promotes credible elections, citizen participation and the strengthening of political institutions in Africa (EISA n.d.a), the elector's card contains the following information:

Surname and given name

Place and date of birth

Gender

Names of father and mother

Sector of origin

Territory of origin

Province of origin

Home address

Photograph

Fingerprints (ibid. n.d.b).

Photographs of the front and back of the elector's card issued as of 2010, found on media sites, are attached to this Response (RDC n.d.a; RDC n.d.b).

This Response was prepared after researching publicly accessible information currently available to the Research Directorate within time constraints. This Response is not, and does not purport to be, conclusive as to the merit of any particular claim for refugee protection. Please find below the list of sources consulted in researching this Information Request.

References

Congo Planète. 28 July 2010. "1.168.513 personnes ont reçu leur nouvelle carte d'électeur au Bas-Congo." [Accessed 7 June 2013]

Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC). 2004. Loi n°04/028 du 24 décembre 2004 portant identification et enrôlement des électeurs en République démocratique du Congo. [Accessed 7 June 2013]

EchoGéo. N.d. "Présentation." [Accessed 20 June 2013]

Electoral Institute for Sustainable Democracy in Africa (EISA). N.d.a. "About EISA." [Accessed 21 June 2013]

_____. N.d.b. Vue d'ensemble de la législation régissant les élections nationales dans la République démocratique du Congo (RDC). [Accessed 7 June 2013]

European Union (EU). [2012]. Mission d'observation électorale. République démocratique du Congo. Rapport final : élections présidentielle et législatives, 28 novembre 2011. [Accessed 7 June 2013]

France 24. 20 June 2011. "Leçon numéro 1 de fraude électorale : faire voter les mineurs." [Accessed 7 June 2013]

Groupe des États d'Afrique, des Caraïbes et du Pacifique et Union européenne (ACP-UE). August 2006. "République démocratique du Congo : les élections de tous les espoirs." eCourrier, No. 14. [Accessed 7 June 2013]

Infosbascongo.net. 10 August 2010. "Matadi : opération révision du fichier électoral : on triche." [Accessed 7 June 2013]

Le Palmarès [Kinshasa]. 14 April 2011. "A quelques mois du scrutin de 2011, la carte d'identité nationale en RDC tarde à être une réalité!" [Accessed 7 June 2013]

Le Potentiel [Kinshasa]. Rich Ngapi. 18 June 2011. "Enfants enrôlés." [Accessed 7 June 2013]

Pourtier, Roland. 2012. "Les élections de 2011 en RDC, entre cafouillage et tripatouillage." EchoGéo. [Accessed 7 June 2013]

La Prospérité [Kinshasa]. 1 March 2010. "Enrôlement des électeurs : on reprend tout à zéro!" [Accessed 20 June 2013]

Radio France internationale (RFI). 8 March 2010. "Polémique autour du fichier électoral en RDC." [Accessed 7 June 2013]

Slate Afrique. 22 June 2011. "RDC - Des électeurs de 12 ans." [Accessed 7 June 2013]

Societecivile.cd. 27 April 2013. "Sénat de la RDC interpelle son gouvernement." [Accessed 7 June 2013]

Syfia Grands Lacs. 21 August 2010. "Bas-Congo : la révision du fichier électoral peine à se terminer." [Accessed 7 June 2013]

Traversées africaines. December 2012. "Slate Afrique - Actualités des pays africains et diasporas - Web." [Accessed 21 June 2013]

Additional Sources Consulted

Oral sources: Attempts to contact a representative of the Embassy of the Democratic Republic of the Congo in Ottawa were unsuccessful.

Internet sites, including: La Croisette; Democratic Republic of the Congo - Commission électorale nationale indépendante; ecoi.net; Factiva; International Crisis Group; Kongo Times!; United Kingdom - Home Office; United Nations - Refworld, Integrated Regional Information Networks.

Attachments

1. Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC). N.d.a. "Recto." [Accessed 7 June 2013]

2. _____.N.d.b. "Verso." [Accessed 7 June 2013]