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3,900 tonnes of election materials distributed nationwide in the DRC

3,900 tonnes of election materials distributed nationwide in the DRC

Democratic Republic Of Congo

The United Nations Mission in the Democratic Republic of Congo (MONUSCO) has airlifted 3,900 tonnes of election materials to 15 election centres around the country to be distributed to 107 satellite stations.

The distribution, that started in October, 2016, was at the request of the country’s Independent National Electoral Commission (CENI) in December 2015, the UN said Wednesday at a press conference.

“As I speak, a helicopter is making a final rotation between Kinshasa and Kasongo Lunda in Kwango province. This ends the MONUSCO air operation to support the ongoing revision of the electoral register,” UN Communications Coordinator in the DRC, Florence Marchal was quoted by local media Radio Okapi.

Four cargo aircrafts and 16 helicopters transported equipment including office kits, record materials, voter cards and generators from Kinshasa to the rest of the country, Marchal explained.

The Electoral Commission has come under pressure last year to complete the voter registration process ahead of the earlier slated November 2016 election date.

The Commission explicitly stated that they were unable to meet the election deadline due to lack of resources. A court extended the mandate of President Joseph Kabila whose term expired in December last year.

A peace agreement was reached for a unity government after series of protests by the opposition who called on Kabila to step down.

The election is expected to be held before the end of the year.

Photo Credit: Radio Okapi

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