Kinshasa, July 10th, 2025 (CPA). -The opening of the second ordinary session of the National Human Rights Commission (CNDH) of the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), scheduled for 10 July 2025, has been postponed for 10 days due to a lack of quorum during a plenary session held on Thursday at its headquarters in Kinshasa.
« Of the nine members of the plenary assembly, only five are present, the quorum has not been reached, and the opening of the second ordinary session of the CNDH-DRC, scheduled for today, is postponed within 10 days, » said Mr. Didier Kimbumbu Dido, rapporteur of this institution supporting democracy, who chaired the plenary session in the absence of the president, who is on official business abroad. The rapporteur of the CNDH-DRC relied on Article 34 of the institution’s rules of procedure, which stipulates: ‘The plenary session shall only be valid if two-thirds of its members are present. If this quorum is not reached, a report of deficiency shall be drawn up and signed by all members present.’ He added that this provision also states that the president of the CNDH shall reconvene the plenary assembly, which shall sit within 10 days of the minutes of absence being drawn up.
Mr Didier Kimbumbu added that another clarification of this provision states: ‘At this subsequent meeting, the plenary assembly shall only be validly constituted if an absolute majority is present.’ It should be noted that the agenda for the second ordinary session of 2025 of the CNDH-DRC includes: the status of reports to be prepared (report on the human rights situation in the DRC for the 2023-2024 financial years, activities carried out by the CNDH-DRC for the 2023-2024 financial years); and the launch of activities on the registration of human rights defenders.