Voting operations were supposed to be completed by 5 p.m. on Wednesday, but logistical and technical problems caused significant delays, even in the capital which was supposed to be logistically best off.
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With our correspondent in Kinshasa, Patient Ligodi
The electoral process continued in several voting centers across the DRC, particularly in places where voting could not take place on Wednesday, the day initially scheduled for these elections.
Didi Manara, second vice-president of the CENI, affirmed this Thursday evening that the electoral center will not authorize any polling station to operate on Friday, except those which still have queues of voters. “ We can go until the wee hours, until the end of the queue “, he told RFI.
The Céni announces 97% opening of polling stations
The Ceni welcomed the mobilization of voters, and announced the opening of at least 97% of polling stations. “ Our country has a continental scope, already achieving this score is a miracle […] We are there », declares Didi Manara. However, some electoral observation missions put forward much lower figures due to the various problems encountered.
Didi Manara describes these reports as “ rushed, even sentimental “. He maintains that the compilation of results has started in most provinces, and on Friday, the envelopes containing the results will begin to be sent to Kinshasa.
The Ceni hopes for a gradual publication of the results this Friday, with the aim of knowing the name of the winner before the end of the year.
Voter fatigue faced with waiting in Goma
This Thursday, voting also continued in Goma, one of the largest cities in the east of the country. In the Ndhoso district, at the Nyabushongo institute, the wait is endless, points out our correspondent in Goma, Coralie Pierret.
In line, voters are exhausted and burned out. Some have been standing still since 6 a.m. Wednesday. In this center, some polling stations opened on Wednesday morning only to close a few hours later because the batteries of the voting machines were discharged, confirm an observer and CENI agent.
This Thursday morning, voting resumed intermittently and technicians arrived at midday. It is difficult to know how many centers were affected by the resumption of voting this Thursday. More than four, indicates the local Ceni without specifying the exact number. “ All polling stations opened this Wednesday, but some had to stop their activity due to technical problems », Assumes the Ceni.
More broadly, in the province, in the territory of Walikalé, out of 415 offices, 13 were unable to operate on Wednesday. But throughout North Kivu, all voting operations should be completed on Thursday, reassured the Ceni.