20 09 11 UN – First batch of electoral material arrives in the DRC

The United Nations Stabilization Mission in the
Democratic Republic of Congo (MONUSCO), in line with its mandate, started
deploying the material to the different regions in the country. Six tons were
delivered to the relevant provincial authorities in Equateur Province on 15
September.

MONUSCO will further ship them to sub-hubs from where it
will then be the duty of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to
distribute them to the smallest communities in Equateur as well in the
neighboring Bandundu province. The process will continue until all polling
stations are supplied with the necessary equipment before the date of the first
elections. More material is expected in the coming
weeks.

Meanwhile, a ship from Lebanon with 70
containers of additional electoral material docked at the Matadi port on 15
September. According to the INEC authorities, each container comprised 116 800
voting booths.

The delivery of this equipment represents a major step
in the electoral process. Other milestones include the submission of
presidential and parliamentarian candidacies that concluded on 11 September; the
publication on 8 September of a Code of Good Conduct for all political parties
taking part in the elections; and the voter registration, which was completed on
17 July. The electoral campaign is slated for 28 October and the presidential
election a month later.

Penangnini
Toure/MONUSCO