In view of the national and provincial legislative elections on December 15 in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), the city of Masi-Manimba in the province of Kwilu is mobilizing to ensure the security and smooth running of the electoral process. Indeed, in recent days, several waves of police and military personnel have been deployed in the region, provoking reactions among the local population.
The administrator of Masi-Manimba, Emery Kanguma, reassured residents by stressing that this increased presence of law enforcement is intended to guarantee the security of the elections after the unrest that occurred during the previous election in 2023. He stressed the importance of this security operation to ensure the transparency and integrity of the electoral process.
Emery Kanguma affirmed that local authorities are working closely with the Independent National Electoral Commission (CENI) to prevent any attempt to disrupt the elections. He also stressed that the security forces present are not there to restrict citizens’ freedoms, but to ensure the proper conduct of the election by preventing any form of sabotage.
Furthermore, the electoral campaign was launched on November 13 and will continue until December 13, two days before the voting day scheduled for December 15. In this context, the CENI received a large batch of electoral kits in Masi-Manimba, including electronic voting devices, ballots, office kits and other essential accessories for the organization of the elections.
It should be recalled that these elections follow the cancellation of the December 2023 legislative elections in certain constituencies, including Masimanimba, due to fraud and irregularities observed. Faced with these crucial issues, the population is called upon to remain calm and vigilant to ensure the smooth running of the electoral process and the consolidation of democracy in the DRC.