In the Democratic Republic of Congo, we are on D-1 before the general elections on December 20. It is therefore time for the final preparations for the Independent National Electoral Commission (Céni). In Bunia, in Ituri, in the east of the country, she is organizing training for voters, because this vote will also be digital.
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With our special correspondent in Bunia, Gaëlle Laleix
The DEV electronic voting device is the same machine as that used during the 2018 elections, however a booster shot is not a luxury. John is 80 years old. Elections, he has already known some of them. But the one of tomorrow intimidates him because of the voting machine: “ How will I do ? You have to help me. The first, I was told, we vote for the president. How many presidents are there? »
It is with a paper ballot that voters enter the voting booth. There, they slide their ballot into the machine and the digital voting begins. “ It will scan the bulletin “, explain Nathanaël, Céni agent.
– “ It says QR code missing… », continues a voter.
– “ We do the exercise, we continue. We have the bulletin here, which is marked. You see the list of presidential candidates. For example, we can choose a number, a woman. I confirm that I choose it. Afterwards, I move on to the national legislative elections ».
Each vote thus scrolls on the screen until the municipal elections. Then the machine prints the paper ballot, and the voter places it in the ballot box. Jacques Luatanga, trader, enthusiastically welcomes this modernity. “ Even the phones we use today are machineshe said. So we will also adapt. We have confidence in our government. We are also obliged to have confidence in the machines that the government has brought to us “. Once the polling stations close, the ballots will be counted and the digital results saved on USB keys to be delivered to the local Results Compilation Center.
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