Opposition candidates in Democratic Republic of Congo have faulted the ruling party over irregularities in a voter registration drive that they say is being conducted to their disadvantage ahead of a general election in December.
They alleged that over 50 million Congolese voters are meant to be registered by March 17, but the Commission Electorale Nationale Indépendante (CENI) on Friday said an unspecified number of centres in the first registration zone of 10 provinces that includes the capital Kinshasa had missed an interim deadline that had already been extended by 25 days.
“They will be granted a catch-up period,” CENI rapporteur Patricia Nseya said in a statement that cited operational difficulties without giving further detail.”
A further 24 centres in Kinshasa province and an unspecified number of centres in Mai Ndombe province had not opened because of security issues, it said.
“There are centres that existed in the electoral commission’s map that are not open and others that are open when they should not be,” said opposition candidate Martin Fayulu, who came second in the last election.”
“There have been many problems
with the power sources of the machines and delays in the delivery of kits, solar panels, cables,” he told Reuters, accusing the CENI of “organising electoral chaos to prepare for fraud.”
Alleged irregularities, including faulty voting machines and delays in opening some polling stations, marred the last presidential vote in 2018 which Martin Fayulu still claims he won by a landslide.
He and fellow candidate Moise Katumbi they believed the CENI was prioritising registering voters in areas loyal to President Felix Tshisekedi like his home region of Kasai.
“There are more enrolment machines in Kasai than in other more populated areas like Katanga,” said Katumbi, a businessman and former governor of the wealthy Katanga province, who announced his candidacy in December.