Electoral Commission, government offices in DRC's Kasai-Central vandalized

Offices of the Independent National Electoral Commission (CENI) of the Democratic Republic of Congo and several administrative offices in the Kasai-Central’s Kazumba district have been vandalized by suspected militiamen on Monday.

The administrator of Kazumba district, Godefroid Kalenga, told Congolese Radio Okapi that the militiamen suspected to be from the Kamuina Nsapu sect torched the offices and burned documents.

“The district of Kazumba has just been looted. They burned all the important documents. They looted the CENI, the territorial offices and the residence of the administrator of the territory. They are Kamuina Nsapu who left Dibaya and Dimbelenge to Kazumba,” Kalenga said.

“We have to negotiate with them. It is a movement that is becoming widespread throughout the province,” Kalenga added, calling on the government to prioritize ongoing negotiations with the group.

The CENI’s interim executive secretary, Omer Tshibala, confirmed that the militiamen attacked and looted the offices and warehouse of the Commission and took away ballot boxes, polling booths, generators, computers and other documents.

The Kamuina Nsapu militiamen from the Kasai-Central took the name of a traditional leader who died last year after an attack on his house.

The customary chief was very vocal against the authorities, and the militiamen who claim they are aligned to the leader, are spreading their insurgency throughout the Kasai region by attacking police officials and state property.

A number of people have been killed and many injured in the attacks.