Political tug-of-war and electoral violence

Democratic electoral processes are meant to give citizens an opportunity to choose their leaders in a peaceful poll environment and also usher democratic gains. Sadly in some African countries, the hope of realising these gains is overshadowed by electoral violence.  For ordinary citizens, this violence translates into threatened personal safety and security, infringement of civil liberties, and the undermining of voices that seek to address their politics of bread and butter through the power of the ballot.

In 2011, a number of Sub-Saharan African countries held democratic elections. They included DR Congo. In December, President Joseph Kabila was sworn in for a second term of office. Despite this move, DR Congo's electoral process was characterised by sporadic violence and a political tug-of-war between Kabila and opposition leader Etienne Tshisekedi, who rejected the election results.