Urgent Peace and Justice in the DRC- Join us in prayer and solidarity

On November 28^th, DR Congo went to cast their vote for presidential and parliamentary candidates. It is their 3^rd democratic elections since independence. The day after elections our colleagues said, “On the election day, people were excited to vote but now people have mixed feelings as they wait for the results: fear for the unknown and joy for having fulfilled their right. Especially with rumors people seem more anxious and fearful. But as for us, we are trusting in the Lord who has the history of Congo in His hands, not politicians or super powers. Let us wait and see God's plan for our country today and for the years to come!"

Great Lakes region political analyst, Laura Seay, said about the polls, “Massive problems plagued the process, including hundreds of thousands of registered voters finding their names missing from the electoral rolls, polling stations lacking sufficient numbers of ballots (and, in some cases, not having any ballots at all), and voters having little guidance on where to vote if they were at the wrong precinct. Accusations of fraud are flying, with several opposition candidates already rejecting the uncounted results and widespread reports of pre-ticked ballots, pre-stuffed ballot boxes and extra ballots being flown into the country.”

The results of the election were scheduled to be announced on December 6^th.  The week leading up to the announcement was a mix of hope and fear. Hope for change and progress in the governance of Congo; fear of violence and instability that could come from candidates vying for power. Among 11 presidential candidates there are 2 strong contenders: the incumbent, Joseph Kabila and a man who has led beside Mobutu, Etienne Tshisekedi. Kablia has propped up soldiers around the country and threatened people with violence if they didn’t vote for him. Tshisekedi hasn’t proved a peaceful alternative. On several occasions he has incited violence by asking his supporters to “terrorize” the government.

Last week Seay said it looked like, “Tshisekedi may win the election outright and, contrary to all expectations, it is within the realm of possibility that Kabila would gracefully step down and allow a transfer of power to take place. The most likely outcome, however, is that Kabila will claim victory while Tshisekedi's supporters take to the streets in protest. If this happens, the international community will likely push for a power-sharing arrangement as it did in Kenya after 2007's disputed elections. Whether Kabila and Tshisekedi could actually come to a power-sharing agreement is impossible to predict.”

Yesterday the results should have been announced. The country is being heavily patrolled and policed. There are members of the Congolese police force, UN soldiers, Congolese national army soldiers, and neighboring country military support. Some estimates say sixty-nine percent of votes have been counted. Preliminary polls show that Kabila is leading by a general margin of 10%. However, the official announcement has been postponed until Thursday.

Seay says, “The international community provided inadequate support for Congo's 2011 elections, and it is inadequately prepared to deal with any kind of violent or prolonged post-electoral crisis. Diplomatic efforts to prevent violence and bring all parties to the table should be intensified and should involve international actors at the highest levels. The International Criminal Court should follow through on its promise to closely scrutinize any violence associated with the elections. All actors should hope for the best, but be prepared for the worst.”

I want to ask you to take time to pray for peace and justice to reign in the DRC. There is an African Swahili proverb that says, “When and where two elephants fight, it is the grass that gets trampled. (Wapiganapo tembo, nyasi huumia.)” May God protect the civilians, thwart plans of wicked people seeking to benefit from instability, give wisdom to those in power, bring stabilizing pressure at a macro/international level, and strengthen Congolese democracy.

Psalm 27- “The Lord is the light and salvation of the Congolese people; whom shall we fear? The Lord is the stronghold of our lives; of whom shall we be afraid? When evildoers assail us to eat up our flesh, our adversaries and foes, it is they who stumble and fall. Though an army encamps against us, our hearts shall not fear; though war arise against us, yet we will be confident…Hear, O Lord, when we cry aloud; be gracious to us and answer us!...Teach us your way, O Lord, and lead us on a level path despite our enemies...Give us not up to the will of our adversaries…they breathe out violence. We believe we will look upon the goodness of the Lord in the land of the living! We wait for the Lord, with courage…we wait for the Lord.”

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You may be wondering, “So Chelsie, are you safe!?” The leadership of UCBC decided to send me to Kamapala, Uganda for the election period. I am here working remotely with my colleague Bethany and staying up to date on the progress of the elections. My cell phone contact is +256704361366 I’ll return to DRC when the leadership of UCBC feels it is safe and stable. Thank you for joining us in prayer and solidarity. I am happy to report that the situation in Beni has been relatively stable and no one associated with UCBC has been in harm’s way. UCBC cancelled classes yesterday and today. Most businesses in Beni were also closed. And today is my birthday! I’m blessed to have colleagues and friends here in Kampala to celebrate!