By Pascal Ibe
Claim
In a warning message to Nigeria’s INEC chairman, an X y posted a video of a woman lynched by a mob and claimed she was the Congo electoral commission chief and was beaten for rigging elections.
Verdict
This claim is MISLEADING. Investigations revealed that the woman was manhandled by an angry mob for voting for a popular candidate in DR Congo, Moise Katumbi, in December 2023. We also found out that she was not the Congo electoral commission chief as claimed.
Full Text
The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) in Nigeria continues to face public distrust and criticism. Multiple reports and surveys indicate that a large portion of Nigerians have a negative perception of the commission.
Despite its crucial mandate, INEC frequently faces criticism for its operational shortcomings and logistical challenges during elections. These issues, while sometimes explainable by Nigeria’s vast and complex geography, the large voter population, and security concerns, nonetheless erode public confidence:
Headed by Mahmood Yakubu, the criticism of INEC by some Nigerians became high after the 2023 general elections as the opposition parties in the country accused the commission of rigging the polls and announcing fake results.
As the 2027 general elections draw closer, many people have called for strong electoral reform in Nigeria. In a warning message to Nigeria’s INEC chairman, an X user y posted a video of a woman lynched by a mob and claimed she was the Congo electoral commission chief and was beaten for rigging elections.
The X user, @Dcitizensoffice posted the video alongside the claim that reads, “#RigandDie have already started in Congo. That’s Democratic Republic of congo (DRC) election commission Chairperson who was humiliated after Rigging and Announced fake Results.
“UNEC learn your lessons now against 2027?
The post garnered over 209k likes with many people commending the action of the mob in the video.
Verification
FACTWATCH Nigeria checked screenshots from the video on Google Lens Search and discovered that this video first appeared online on 21st December 2023, and the location was the Democratic Republic of Congo.
The video was mostly posted with captions in the French language by the Congolese citizens.
Odry Grace Lubula shared the same video in December 2023, with a caption translated from French to English that reads, “#RDC Bestiality, excessive savagery, this Congolese citizen was molested for her opinions and political choices, her only sin, having voted for @moise_katumbi. We are on the path to the imposition of a single thought, democracy in peril. This is the result of 5 years of idleness, enjoyment, and division at the top of the State.
Another X user, Kivu Info/24, published the video in December 2023 and wrote, (translated from French to English), “This woman was attacked because she voted for Katumbi.
A Facebook page in Congo said the incident happened in Kasai DRC.
Who is Moise Ktatumbi ?
Moise Katumbi, a businessman and former governor in the Democratic Republic of Congo, stood in the country’s presidential election in December 2023.
In the DRC, the presidential poll is held at the same time as parliamentary, provincial, and local elections
FACTWATCH Nigeria checked and discovered that the current chairperson of the Independent National Electoral Commission (CENI) in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) is Denis Kazadi Kadima. The CENI is the body responsible for organizing and conducting elections in the DRC. Denis Kazadi Kadima was appointed to this position in October 2021.
This further indicates that the claim and video posted by the X user don’t align.
Conclusion
The video to depict DR Congo’s electoral commission boss beaten for rigging elections is MISLEADING.
