Kisangani, 11 October 2010 - About 134 tons of election equipment transported by the United Nations Organisation Stabilisation Mission in the DR Congo (MONUSCO) arrived at Kisangani on 9 October 2010 from Kinshasa by ferries. The load was delivered to the Independent Electoral Commission (IEC)'s regional office in Kisangani today in a ceremony at ONATRA premises, in presence of the Oriental Province governor Médard Autsai Asenga and MONUSCO officials.

The equipment was moved from Kinshasa in two barges chartered by MONUSCO under escort of its Ghanian contingent peacekeepers. It consisted of 1,711 voter registration kits, 854 power generators, 242 bicycles and repair kits, 37 motorcycles as well as office equipment including computers, printers, image capture hardware, and other items. It amounted to a total of around 134 tons of equipment that was handed over to the IEC's regional office and is destined to be sent to the Oriental Province's Tshopo and Bas-Uele districts.

"This is beginning of the second electoral process, after the one in year 2006. We thank the MONUSCO for its support and guidance," the provincial governor, Médard Autsai Asenga said. He called on the population to make good use of this equipment and contribute to the successful completion of the electoral process.

The MONUSCO head of office in Kisangani, Helder De Barros, stressed that "the arrival of these kits was an important step in the process of voter registration and MONUSCO's support to the IEC. This support will be provided throughout the electoral process."

The support provided by MONUSCO is within the framework of its current mandate that includes providing technical and logistic support for the organization of national and local elections in future.

The operation of unloading the electoral equipment began immediately in Kisangani. Equipment despatch planning will be carried out next week, according to the provincial IEC coordinator, Jean-Pierre Makakaro.