The House Foreign Affairs Committee today approved two important resolutions introduced by Rep. Chris Smith (NJ-04)–one to help prevent a constitutional crisis in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (H. Res. 780) and the other to forestall deterioration in next month’s presidential election in Gabon (H. Res. 821).

DRC

Elections in DRC are scheduled to be held in November of this year, but it is becoming increasingly unlikely that the elections can be held on time.  According to the DRC constitution, President Joseph Kabila cannot run for a third term, and his mandate and that of the national legislature expires on December 19.  If elections are not held before then and no agreed-upon legal process is reached prior to that time on a process to govern DRC until elections can be held, the country will no longer be governed by a legally constituted government based on DRC law.

“President Kabila sent a special envoy to dissuade us from proceeding with H. Res. 780, but he could not offer a justification for the Kabila government failing to use the five years since the last election to prepare for elections this year,” Smith said.  “Our resolution steps up the pressure on the Kabila government to respect their own country’s constitution and to not seek a backdoor means of prolonging Kabila’s regime.”

Demonstrations and boycotts have become violent over the past year as activists and their supporters become increasingly concerned that Kabila will use recent court interpretations of the DRC constitution to support Kabila remaining in office until elections are held and his successor is sworn in.

As a result of the introduction of H. Res. 780, a coalition of the DRC Diaspora has devised a process under which President Kabila would name a Prime Minister to temporarily assume power under the constitution’s emergency provisions to organize elections through a broad-based national conference.

Gabon

As for Gabon, the last elections in 2009 were plagued by election irregularities that provoked violent demonstrations.  H. Res. 821 was introduced to demonstrate U.S. support for “orderly, peaceful and free and fair presidential elections on August 28.”

“Gabon could and should be an example for the region if this year’s elections adhere to international standards,” Smith said.

These two resolutions signal a new determination by the Foreign Affairs Committee to urge free and fair elections processes in countries with upcoming elections to forestall problematic elections processes that have resulted in political stalemate and violence.

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