Fire destroys thousands of voting machines

A FIRE overnight at a warehouse in Democratic Republic of Congo’s capital, Kinshasa, destroyed thousands of voting machines and ballot boxes that were due to be used in the December 23 presidential election, a presidential adviser said yesterday.

Barnabe Kikaya Bin Karubi said 70% of the equipment due to be used for voting in Kinshasa, where more than 15% of the population lives, was destroyed in the fire, which he said had been started by “criminals”.

Kikaya said preparations for the vote, which could mark the country’s first peaceful transfer of power, would go ahead and that voting machines from elsewhere in the country would be recalled to use in Kinshasa.

He said the fire was the work of criminals and that the police who were guarding the warehouse had been arrested. The Kinshasa police chief said forensic police were on site to investigate.

The vote to replace President Joseph Kabila, who has been in power since 2001, was initially due to take place in 2016 but has been repeatedly delayed due to logistical and security problems. |