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The Democratic Republic of Congo is due to hold presidential elections on December 20th. Analysts say while the independent national electoral commission (CENI) is doing what it can to ensure free and fair elections, challenges related to security in some parts of the country and disseminating voter material remain. VOA Nairobi Bureau Chief Mariama Diallo has this report.
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((PLAYBOOK SLUG: DRC ELECTIONS PREVIEW (TVR)
HEADLINE: Democratic Republic of Congo Prepares to Hold Elections
TEASER: Challenges include disseminating voter material and security concerns in the East
PUBLISHED AT: 12/7/23
BYLINE: Mariama Diallo
CONTRIBUTOR:
DATELINE: Nairobi, Kenya
VIDEOGRAPHER: Amos Wangua
PRODUCER: Amos Wangua
SCRIPT EDITORS: DLJ sv
VIDEO SOURCES: VOA original, Wires
PLATFORMS: WEB __ TV _X_ RADIO _X_
TRT:
VID APPROVED BY:
TYPE: TVPKG
EDITOR NOTES: ))
((INTRO)) [[The Democratic Republic of Congo is due to hold presidential elections on December 20th. Analysts say while the independent national electoral commission (CENI) is doing what it can to ensure free and fair elections, challenges related to security in some parts of the country and disseminating voter material remain. VOA Nairobi Bureau Chief Mariama Diallo has this report.]]
((NAT POP… Campaigning))
((NARRATOR))
Campaigning for the top job in the Democratic Republic of Congo is in full swing.
((NAT POP Candidates))
Incumbent President Felix Tshisekedi, who’s seeking a second term, launched his campaign bid by urging thousands of supporters to renew their trust in him.
Other candidates competing for the same job include a Nobel Peace Prize winner, Denis Mukwege, a rival who came in second place in the 2018 presidential elections -- Martin Fayulu -- and the former governor of copper-rich Katanga region, Moise Katumbi.
Dany Ayida, a senior resident director for the National Democratic Institute in the DRC, says some in the opposition are already forming alliances.
((MANDATORY CG: SKYPE))
((Dany Ayida, National Democratic Institute)) ((Skype))
“The candidates were 26 at the beginning of the campaign // we know 3 or 4 candidates decided to join Moise Katumbi. We know discussions are going on between Mukwege and Fayulu.”
((NARRATOR)) ((general campaigning, street scenes))
Ayida says while the independent national electoral commission - known by its French acronym CENI - is doing its best to ensure the elections take place on December 20th, they face a few challenges.
CENI recently announced there was a fire at one of their locations that affected voter material, including voting machines.
((MANDATORY CG: SKYPE))
((Dany Ayida, National Democratic Institute)) ((interview ayida tc - 5:18))
“Now this is a challenge. We don’t know if they’ve been replaced yet or if CENI is going to buy some new materials. Apart from that, some candidates also in terms of accessing some regions, some territories like in the eastern Congo, this is a challenge.”
((NARRATOR)) ((map of eastern DRC and gen. IDP camps))
The eastern DRC is home to at least 100 different rebel groups and has been plagued by violence.
Recent escalations have pushed the number of people displaced within Congo
((MANDATORY CG: UNICEF))
to nearly 7 million, according to the International Organization for Migration.
((END COURTESY))
A force assembled by the East African Community was deployed in the area last year to help defeat some of the rebel groups, including the M23, a pro-Tutsi militia. But President Tshisekedi has repeatedly criticized the force for being ineffective and has asked them to withdraw.
Aimable Ndarishize is from South Kivu province but has been a refugee in Kenya the past two years.
((Aimable Ndarishize, Refugee) ((IN FRENCH)) ((f:\private\avchd\bdmv\stream – clip 8 – tc: 2:57))
“It’s best I go home [one day] and I would prefer that // whoever wins, whether it’s a second term for Tshisekedi, or it’s Katumbi or someone else, the priority should be securing the country.”
((NARRATOR))
Eric Bagirubwira, a civil society member who spoke to us from Goma, says he is not impressed with Tshisekedi’s first term.
((MANDATORY CG: SKYPE))
((Eric Bagirubwira, Goma Resident)) ((interview bagirubwira – tc: 8:10))
“He promised the whole DRC population that his first combat will be the restoration of peace especially in the Eastern DRC but so far, security remains a dream in this part. Secondly, talking about infrastructures, you can try to move around different corners of this country, you can see that these days there are no roads.”
((NARRATOR)) ((gen DRC shots))
But even if one can find roads 90 percent of the time, they are not in good condition, he told us.
((MARIAMA DIALLO VOANEWS, NAIROBI))
NetworkVOA
Location (dateline)Nairobi, Kenya
Embargo DateDecember 8, 2023 09:47 EST
BylineMariama Diallo
Brand / Language ServiceVoice of America - English
