DRC govt supplies poll logistics: lorries, planes and helicopters

Elections are always a big deal, especially so when they are national in nature and for a big country as the Democratic Republic on Congo, DRC.

The government has made available logistical support for the elections body, CENI, to facilitate their efforts at organizing the December 23 elections which will be the first democratic handover of political power – all things being equal.

According to CENI, the government had availed means of transport to facilitate their operations across the country. CENI said it had taken delivery of 150 trucks, nine planes and five helicopters.

150 camions de type Kamaz réceptionnés à Kinshasa, 1 avion Ilyusin-76, 1 DC-8, 3
Boeings-727, 1 Boeing-737, 2 Antonov 72 adaptés à des pistes d’accès difficile, 1
Boeing-737 passagers, 5 hélicoptères constituent le lot des moyens logistiques mis à la disposition de cenirdc pic.twitter.com/IiHzjht0oY

— Ceni-rdc (cenirdc) October 29, 2018

The BBC on the other hand reported that 300 lorries, 10 planes and 10 helicopters were handed over to CENI in the capital, Kinshasa.

The logistics are expected to help in the distribution of voting machines and ballot booths across the vast southern African nation.

The opposition parties last week marched in Kinshasa protesting the planned use of voting machines. They are pushing for the use of traditional ballot papers to avert rigging of the polls by the ruling party.

The ruling party’s candidate, Emmanuel Ramazani Shadary at a rally over the weekend spoke in glowing terms about the controversial machines. Election watchers say they will certainly be used for the vote.

La cérémonie officielle de remise du matériel logistique à la CENI par le gouvernement se tient ce 29 octobre 2018. Le décor est déjà planté #Capverslesélections du #23décembre2018 #ElectionsRDC pic.twitter.com/UmwqjfeKQ2

— Ceni-rdc (@cenirdc) October 29, 2018