Kananga, 22 March 2012 – In preparation for the forthcoming local elections in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) especially in the Kasaï Occidental province, the Office of Public Information of the United Nations Organization Stabilization Mission in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (MONUSCO) organised a workshop under the telling theme "Evaluation des Elections du 28 novembre 2011 et prochaines étapes électorales" (Evaluating the 28 November 2011 elections and forthcoming elections).

The workshop took place on 21 March in Kananga, the provincial capital, and was attended by about 50 participants including representatives of the Independent National Electoral Commission (CENI), political party leaders and civil society.

The groups represented at the workshop did their presentations during the plenary session, followed by a debate session organized and facilitated by the management of MONUSCO. During these exchanges, the uncivil behaviours and irregularities observed during the 28 November elections, notably the delays in the deployment of election material to some polling stations, cartographical errors, physical violence and other acts of intimidation, were denounced.

As a result of these observations, a number of recommendations were made with a view to strengthening and building the capacity of CENI through the recruitment of competent personnel, increasing awareness and providing electoral civic education to the population in Kasaï Occidental, and the organization of permanent meetings of the framework for concerted action for peaceful elections.

At the close of the workshop, participants were convinced that if implemented, these recommendations will guarantee the success of the forthcoming elections and the establishment of democracy within the province.

Lansana Dabo/ MONUSCO