interim report
EISA observer Mission to the DRC Constitutional Referendum, 18 and 19 December 2005 (continued)

EISA is headquartered in Johannesburg, South Africa, and has field offices in Angola, Burundi, the DRC and Mozambique.

Observation of elections and referenda is a key component of EISA's work as it allows for the collection of relevant data and information on electoral practices. Equally important, election observation provides an opportunity for mission members to acquire and exchange experiences with respect to the organisation and conduct of democratic elections and to learn from the host country.

1.2. Composition of the Mission

Led by Advocate Yusuf Aboobaker, Chairperson of the Electoral Supervisory Commission of Mauritius, the EISA Observer Mission to the DRC Referendum consisted of 17 members and included representatives from electoral commissions and civil society organisations from Angola, Côte d'Ivoire, Mauritius, Mozambique, South Africa and Zimbabwe.

1.3. Method of work

The EISA Mission to the DRC Constitutional Referendum was a short-term observation assignment which began on 11 December 2005. Essentially, the Mission considered and examined all legal documents governing the organisation and conduct of the Referendum in the DRC and the draft Constitution. In addition to the gathering and analysis of legal texts, the Mission carried out the following activities, with the aim of keeping members of the Mission and other interested parties up to date with the Referendum process as it progresses, in the run up to the polling day:

  1. Meetings with key stakeholders
    Upon arrival in Kinshasa, the EISA Mission held briefing sessions during which the key stakeholders involved in the DRC Referendum process shared their opinions, analyses and views with members of the Mission. Among other stakeholders, the EISA Mission teams met and had consultations with:
    • The Independent Electoral Commission (CEI), in particular its President, Reverend Appollinaire Malumalu;
    • Leaders and representatives of the following political parties:
      • The People's Party for Reconstruction and Development (Mr Benjamin Mukulungu, Member of the PPRD Political Bureau);
      • The Movement for the Liberation of the Congo (Mr Joseph Muteba wa Beya, MLC National Secretary in charge of Electoral Processes);
      • The Union for Democracy and Social Progress (Mr Rémy Massamba and Advocate Jean-Joseph Mukendi, respectively UDPS Secretary General and Head of the External Relations Commission);
      • The Congolese Rally for Democracy (Advocate Mumba Gama, RCD Secretary General);
      • The Group of 14 (G14) through its moderator, Professor Baudouin Buassa-bu-Tsumbu;
      • Mr André-Alain Atundu Liongo, representing a coalition of parties, La Sainte Alliance; and
      • Mr Godefroid Mayobo, the spokesperson for the Unified Lumumbist Party (PALU).
    • Representatives of civil society organisations (CSOs);
    • The High Authority of Media (HAM) through its president, Mr Modeste Mutinga;
    • Press organs and journalist unions;
    • The Electoral Division of the United Nations Mission in the Congo (MONUC), represented by Mr Ali Diabacté.
  2. Deployment and observation of the voting process
    After the 2-day briefing during which key stakeholders addressed the Mission on the critical issues of the Referendum process, as well as preparedness ahead of the polling day, EISA deployed observers on Wednesday 14 December 2005 with a total of seven teams throughout the country, especially to the provincial capital cities in Bas-Congo, Katanga, Eastern Kasai, North Kivu, South Kivu and the DRC capital city, Kinshasa.
    Upon arrival in their areas of deployment, EISA teams held further meetings with the main stakeholders involved in the Referendum process at both provincial and local levels, including officials of the CEI, representatives of political parties and civil society organisations, as well as members of the diplomatic community working in the DRC. This period was also used by the teams to familiarise themselves with the local context in which the Referendum was to take place, observe the Referendum campaign and make preliminary visits to various polling stations before polling.
    During the 2 days of the Referendum, EISA teams visited a total of 48 voting centres, 163 voting stations and observed the counting of ballot papers in 9 counting centres.
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