The displacement of hundreds of thousands of people from the Rutshuru territory to the gates of Goma in the Democratic Republic of Congo has been ongoing since October 20th. To ensure that those who cannot register on the electoral lists and obtain their voter card due to the M23 rebel control of part of the province of North Kivu can still vote, identification offices have been set up in the camps.
Marcelin, one of the displaced people, expressed his wish for the government to help them fight so those who remain in Kibumba can also come to the camps. To obtain a voter card, those who had their old one can easily pass, while those who lost their card or any other document proving their identity must come with three witnesses. This solution was found to avoid the exclusion of part of the voters of North Kivu, a strategic province, and to register a maximum number of voters.
However, several leaders of citizen movements or analysts have raised concerns that this solution could be easily abused to buy or falsify voter cards. It is essential to ensure that the electoral process is fair and transparent.
Therefore, it is important to take all necessary measures to guarantee that all eligible voters in North Kivu can exercise their right to vote in the upcoming elections.