South Korea voices concerns over DR Congo election
Wed Apr 04, 2018 09:18:am Africa
4.4K By Obiaks Blog
South Korea's government has distanced itself from a firm providing the Democratic Republic of Congo voting equipment derided by opposition politicians as "cheating machines".
The embassy released an official statement to news agency AFP after it emerged a South Korean firm called Miru Systems Co. Ltd. is providing the machines, unveiled by the DR Congo's Independent National Electoral Commission (CENI) in February.
According to CENI President Corneille Nangaa, one machine would be able to handle the ballots of "600 to 700 voters".
But the international community has raised concerns about the use of the machines - including Nikki Haley, the US ambassador to the UN, who said the delayed vote should only be held using paper ballots.
In contrast, CENI says the machines could reduce voter fraud and will allow the long-delayed election to go ahead in December.
But South Korea's embassy appeared to share the concerns of the US ambassador.
It told AFP the machines "could give the Congolese government a pretext for undesirable results related to the elections, notably a further delay in holding the elections".
"The international community is concerned by the fact that the Congolese government could once again postpone the election or endanger the peaceful and orderly conduct of the election," the embassy added, saying the government shared its concerns.
Mr Nangaa dismissed the concerns.
BBC
The embassy released an official statement to news agency AFP after it emerged a South Korean firm called Miru Systems Co. Ltd. is providing the machines, unveiled by the DR Congo's Independent National Electoral Commission (CENI) in February.
According to CENI President Corneille Nangaa, one machine would be able to handle the ballots of "600 to 700 voters".
But the international community has raised concerns about the use of the machines - including Nikki Haley, the US ambassador to the UN, who said the delayed vote should only be held using paper ballots.
In contrast, CENI says the machines could reduce voter fraud and will allow the long-delayed election to go ahead in December.
But South Korea's embassy appeared to share the concerns of the US ambassador.
It told AFP the machines "could give the Congolese government a pretext for undesirable results related to the elections, notably a further delay in holding the elections".
"The international community is concerned by the fact that the Congolese government could once again postpone the election or endanger the peaceful and orderly conduct of the election," the embassy added, saying the government shared its concerns.
Mr Nangaa dismissed the concerns.
BBC
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