DRC election chief rejects campaign suspension call

KINSHASA – The head of the election commission in the Democratic Republic of Congo has rejected charges of irregularities in the presidential poll campaign and refused to suspend campaigning.

“I confirm that the campaign goes on and that the elections will take place on July 30,” Apollinaire Malu Malu said, calling on the candidates “not to play with electors and the expectations of the Congolese people.” Earlier 20 of the 33 presidential candidates for the DRC’s landmark elections had called for campaigning to be suspended because of irregularities.But none of the leading candidates, including transitional president Joseph Kabila, signed the joint statement.”We demand the freezing of the electoral campaign while all the irregularities in the electoral process are dealt with,” the candidates said.”Innumerable” irregularities have been noted, including by the independent electoral commission, which “threaten the election’s credibility and transparency”, they said.Among their charges were the alleged printing of five million excess ballot papers, the registering of tens of thousands of foreigners and the non-publication of electoral lists.”These accusations are baseless,” Malu Malu said.”I have already explained there were 650 ballot papers per polling station.There are 50,567 stations which makes nearly 33 million ballot papers for 25,6 million voters.”He said the surplus could be explained by the usual safety reserve of 10 per cent, plus an emergency stock of 50 papers per polling station to take account of voters who wanted for various reasons to cast their ballots in places where they were not registered.A total of 1,922 foreigners fraudulently registered had been found and their cases referred to the authorities.Another 292,353 names had been removed mostly for multiple registration while 440 military and police personnel had been disqualified because they were not allowed to vote.Campaigning began last week for DR Congo’s first democratic elections in 45 years, seen as a key step in bringing lasting peace to the vast, war-scarred nation.- Nampa-AFPEarlier 20 of the 33 presidential candidates for the DRC’s landmark elections had called for campaigning to be suspended because of irregularities.But none of the leading candidates, including transitional president Joseph Kabila, signed the joint statement.”We demand the freezing of the electoral campaign while all the irregularities in the electoral process are dealt with,” the candidates said.”Innumerable” irregularities have been noted, including by the independent electoral commission, which “threaten the election’s credibility and transparency”, they said.Among their charges were the alleged printing of five million excess ballot papers, the registering of tens of thousands of foreigners and the non-publication of electoral lists.”These accusations are baseless,” Malu Malu said.”I have already explained there were 650 ballot papers per polling station.There are 50,567 stations which makes nearly 33 million ballot papers for 25,6 million voters.”He said the surplus could be explained by the usual safety reserve of 10 per cent, plus an emergency stock of 50 papers per polling station to take account of voters who wanted for various reasons to cast their ballots in places where they were not registered.A total of 1,922 foreigners fraudulently registered had been found and their cases referred to the authorities.Another 292,353 names had been removed mostly for multiple registration while 440 military and police personnel had been disqualified because they were not allowed to vote.Campaigning began last week for DR Congo’s first democratic elections in 45 years, seen as a key step in bringing lasting peace to the vast, war-scarred nation.- Nampa-AFP