Fire at the CENI warehouse in South Kivu: investigation underway
In an official press release, the Independent National Electoral Commission (CENI) announced that a fire broke out on the night of Friday July 28 to Saturday July 29, 2023 at the warehouse of its Provincial Executive Secretariat, located within the the concession of the Société Nationale des Chemins de Fer du Congo (SNCC) in the province of South Kivu. This incident caused significant material damage.
According to the CENI report, nearly 75% of electronic voting devices were destroyed by the flames, i.e. 963 out of 1,292. Lithium batteries, generators, motorcycles as well as solar panels and other electoral materials were destroyed. also been reduced to ashes.
Faced with this incident, the CENI immediately appealed to the competent authorities to conduct a thorough investigation to determine the exact causes of the fire. If responsibilities are established, the perpetrators of this act must be sanctioned in accordance with the law.
This fire comes at a crucial time, while preparations for the elections of provincial deputies and municipal councilors are underway in the province of South Kivu. However, the CENI assures that this will not hinder the opening of the Offices for the Reception and Processing of Applications (BRTC) scheduled for August 3, 2023.
Despite this unfortunate incident, local and national authorities are mobilized to guarantee the transparency and smooth running of the electoral process in the province of South Kivu. The population is called upon to remain calm and vigilant, and measures will be taken to avoid any disruption of the ongoing process.
The CENI is impatiently awaiting the results of the investigation to shed light on the circumstances of this fire. The authorities and the security forces undertake to ensure the security of the installations and to ensure the smooth running of the elections.
The fire at the CENI warehouse in South Kivu is a tragic event that raises many questions. Let’s hope that the ongoing investigation will reveal those responsible for this act and guarantee the holding of the elections in optimal conditions