Congolese opposition groups rounded Wednesday on the country’s electoral commission and its insistence that a long-awaited presidential vote in the vast African nation must be conducted using electronic voting machines. “Democratic Republic of Congo’s political opposition expresses its profound concern over the casual attitude of the national electoral commission (CENI) in managing the election process,” representatives of five parties said in a rare joint statement from Kinshasa. DR Congo’s long-delayed elections are slated for December 23 but there are fears of mounting unrest and organisers have already encountered a slew of logistical problems — including “millions” of duplicate names on voting registers — organising the vote in the vast, mineral-rich nation.
Opposition groups reiterated their rejection of the use of South Korean-made electronic voting machines in the election, which CENI insists are necessary for proper monitoring of ballots.
However, authorities in Seoul on Tuesday distanced themselves from the machine manufacturers, saying there was “no guarantee” that the system would be effective.
Full Article: DR Congo opposition takes swing at election organisers – Daily Monitor.
