Over 40 million registered voters in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) took to the polls today in the country's presidential, legislative, and provincial elections.

The day started off well, with the SADC Electoral Observer Mission (SEOM) expressing satisfaction with the process.

The mission is expected to issue its preliminary findings on Friday, December 22.

Incumbent President Felix Tshisekedi, who is seeking a second and final term, also cast his vote at St. George's College in Kinshasa.

Millions of Congolese voters will cast ballots in one of the most anticipated elections of 2023 on Wednesday.

With the high-stakes vote, the Democratic Republic of the Congo may have undergone its second peaceful civilian-to-civilian transition since gaining independence from Belgium in June 1960.

nbc News presenter Blanche Goreses spoke to Senior Producer Ndishishii Hamfungu, who is in the Democratic Republic of the Congo.

Namibia's head of mission to the Democratic Republic of Congo, Ambassador Simeon Uulenga, is confident that the DRC elections to be held tomorrow will be credible.

Uulenga says that Namibia enjoys sound relations with the DRC dating back to pre-independence and will continue to do so, regardless of who wins the presidential race. 

The DRC is a major trading partner of Namibia in Southern Africa, owing much to the tripartite agreement between Namibia, Zambia, and the DRC, which gave birth to the Walvis Bay-Ndola-Lubumbashi Development Corridor.

The SADC Electoral Observation Mission in the Democratic Republic of Congo's Presidential, Legislative, and Provincial Elections was launched in Kinshasa on Saturday.

This is in line with Article 3 of the revised SADC Principles and Guidelines Governing Democratic Elections, which provides that SADC shall observe all general elections held in its member states.

Zambia's President Hakainde Hichilema and Chairperson of the SADC Organ on Politics, Defense, and Security Cooperation appointed former Vice President of Zambia, Enoch Kavindele, as the Head of Mission.

In the Democratic Republic of Congo, Congolese voters will elect their new president alongside parliamentary, regional assembly, and local council positions on December 20.

nbc's reporter, Ndishishii Hamufungu, took to the streets of Kinshasa ahead of next week's elections.

This bustling Kintambo Mangasin is a locality in Kinshasa.

Here, like in the rest of the capital, billboards, regardless of the size, house campaign material all over the place.

The President of the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Felix Tshisekedi, has accused the opposition of being in cahoots with rebel groups in the country's conflict-stricken east.

The DRC has been plagued by conflict in the North Kivu province, and Tshisekedi, who is seeking re-election in next week's vote, has repeatedly accused Rwandan President Paul Kagame of backing the M23 rebels.  

Tshisekedi this week went a step further and accused the opposition of also forming part of this alleged plot.