The dismissal of a branch manager of the Independent National Electoral Commission (CENI) in Kutu, in the province of Mai-Ndombe, for gross negligence is making headlines. This decision was taken by the president of the CENI, Denis Kadima, following the discovery of significant discrepancies during the inventories of the equipment carried out in the dismemberments of the institution.
According to inventory reports, there were substantial losses of equipment between September 2019 and July 2022. Among the missing equipment are 11 generators, 8 motorcycles, 2 speedboats, 14 Thuraya satellite phones and 380 external batteries of electronic voting devices, all stored at the Kutu branch warehouse.
Faced with these findings, disciplinary actions were taken against the executives and agents responsible for the management and custody of the equipment within the provincial executive secretariats and CENI branches. The Kutu station chief, after being questioned, was unable to justify the losses and provide the necessary evidence to explain these discrepancies.
This dismissal highlights the need to enhance transparency and accountability in the management of CENI resources. The organization of elections is a complex and sensitive process, which requires the confidence of the population and political actors. The loss of election materials undermines that trust and compromises the integrity of the democratic process.
It is therefore essential that CENI officials take rigorous measures to prevent such situations in the future. This requires the improvement of control systems, the training of agents in charge of equipment management and the establishment of accountability mechanisms in the event of proven shortcomings.
In conclusion, the dismissal of the head of the CENI antenna of Kutu for gross negligence highlights the issues of transparency and accountability in the management of electoral material. Preventing such losses in the future is essential to ensure the integrity and credibility of elections in the Democratic Republic of the Congo.