DRC may suspend polls campaign

2006-07-05 08:43

Kinshasa - Twenty of the 33 presidential candidates for the Democratic Republic of Congo's landmark elections on July 30 called on Tuesday for campaigning to be suspended due to irregularities.

However, none of the leading candidates signed the joint statement, including transitional President Joseph Kabila.

The candidates said: "We demand the freezing of the electoral campaign while all the irregularities in the electoral process are dealt with."

They said that "innumerable" irregularities had been noted, including by the independent electoral commission, which "threaten the election's credibility and transparency".

Problems included the printing of millions of excess ballot papers and the enrolment of tens of thousands of foreign voters.

Campaigning began last week for the DRC's first democratic elections in 45 years, seen as a key step in bringing lasting peace to the vast, war-scarred nation.

At least 25.6 million of the DRC's 60 million inhabitants would vote in 50 000 polling stations across a nation that was the size of Western Europe, but had hardly any infrastructure.

Security was being ensured by an 800-strong European Union force within DRC and a 1 200-strong rapid reaction EU force in neighbouring Gabon, joining 17 600 UN peacekeeping troops already present.

- AFP