CENI Suspends Sankuru Governor Election Due to Financial Constraints

Kinshasa, March 21, 2026 - The Independent National Electoral Commission (CENI) announced on Friday, March 20, that it cannot continue operational activities for the election of the governor and vice-governor of Sankuru Province due to financial constraints. The election, initially postponed and then rescheduled for Tuesday, April 7, 2026, is now on hold pending the availability of funds. In a statement signed by Deputy Rapporteur Paul Muhindo, CENI stressed that its legal obligation to hold the election within fifteen days after publishing the final candidate list (set for March 23) cannot be met without adequate resources. CENI had earlier published a provisional list of 11 candidates on March 4, mostly men, sparking renewed debate over the low representation of women in provincial leadership. Following this, appeals against the list were scheduled from March 6-7, disputes from March 9-15, and publication of the final list on March 23. Campaign activities and accreditation of observers and journalists were planned from early to late April. The postponement follows a formal request from Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of the Interior Jacquemain Shabani, who had urged CENI to organize elections quickly after the Constitutional Court upheld the removal of the previous governor on October 24, 2025. The ruling confirmed a vacancy at the head of the provincial executive and instructed that a new election be held in accordance with Article 198 of the Constitution. CENI emphasized that the electoral process in Sankuru will resume once financial support is secured, underlining the critical role of resources in ensuring timely and lawful elections.