a report from research institutes attacks transparency in the National Assembly

2 mins

With our correspondent in Kinshasa, Patient Ligodi

According to Ebuteli’s reportthe majority of control initiatives tabled by MPs have never been examined. Between 2020 and 2023, of the 177 means of control documented by the Ebuteli legislative barometer, more than 93% remained a dead letter. A striking example: during the March 2023 session, out of 29 means of control submitted, only one question was debated in plenary session, according to the report.

Researchers also note opaque management of the “blue book”, this register supposed to ensure the traceability of projects and proposed laws. Poorly maintained, irregularly updated, and rarely accessible to the public, this document, although central, illustrates the flaws in the legislative process.

Opaque operation denounced

The role of the National Assembly’s design office is also criticized. This technical body, responsible for evaluating the legal compliance of texts, is often perceived as a “black box”, with unexplained delays and blockages. Among the examples cited: the proposed law on access to information, tabled since September 2020, has still not been examined.

Political influence also seems to weigh on the processing of texts. The controversial “Tshiani law” proposal on Congoleseness, rejected for the first time, was relaunched in 2023 despite an unfavorable opinion. Likewise, certain laws adopted, such as that on the bar in 2018, mysteriously disappear without reaching the promulgation stage.

Faced with these findings, Ebuteli yesterday presented his recommendations to the office of the National Assembly.

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