EAC withdraws from sending election observer mission in DR Congo general elections

The East African Community (EAC), a regional bloc, said late Monday that it would not be physically present in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) to observe the country's 2023 general elections as provided for in the treaty establishing the EAC.

The EAC said in a statement that this move is mainly because relevant authorities have not granted the EAC to undertake the exercise. It wished the government and people of the DRC peaceful elections and pledged to remain committed to performing its mandate to all EAC member states.

The EAC has been sending its election observer missions to EAC member states since the inception of the regional bloc, said the statement.

The DRC is scheduled to hold its general elections on Dec. 20.

The EAC has expanded to consist of eight member states, namely Burundi, the DRC, Kenya, Rwanda, Somalia, South Sudan, Tanzania, and Uganda.