By: Staff
Around 44 million registered voters, out of a population of almost 100 million, are set to elect a president on December 20.
They will also choose between tens of thousands of candidates for legislative and local bodies in a country with vast natural resources but endemic conflict and corruption.
A "pre-campaign" has been underway for a while, with President Felix Tshisekedi, who is seeking a second term, attending several public events while his allies vaunt his record.
With the start of the official campaign, big rallies, media interviews, giant posters and handing out flyers will be allowed.
On opening day, Tshisekedi held a rally at the Martyrs stadium in Kinshasa, which was filled to its capacity of 80,000 people despite steady rain.
"He tells the truth, and he's the only one who is starting to do things," said Papa Kalombo, a Kinshasa official for the Union for Democracy and Social Progress (UDPS), which backs the incumbent.
One of Tshisekedi's main challengers, Martin Fayulu, who claims he was robbed of victory in 2018, addressed a rally in a nearby province.
"The time has come to transform Congo," Fayulu told the crowd.
In total there were a record 25,832 candidates for the legislative elections, 44,110 for provincial bodies and 31,234 for municipal councils, according to the Electoral Commission (CENI).
https://www.france24.com/en/live-news/20231119-dr-congo-election-campaign-starts-with-fireworks-and-bullets