The head of a European Union (EU) electoral mission to DR Congo on Tuesday announced the deployment of 42 initial observers to the country, ahead of the polls next month.
Malin BJÖRK. a Swedish MEP heading the mission told the media in capital Kinshasa, “A team of observers have been here since November 6. 42 will be deployed in the coming days and at the time of the elections,”
According to her, a delegation of seven European members of parliament is also expected in Kinshasa.”They will be our eyes and ears on the ground,” she said.
The Democratic Republic of Congo is scheduled to hold parliamentary and presidential elections on December 20. President Felix Tshisekedi, 60, is running for a second term in office.
She also mentioned “the support of the diplomatic corps, European embassies and other staff, who will also be part of the observers on election day. On election day, we expect to have perhaps around eighty to one hundred observers.”
On the day of the vote, the EU electoral mission will also have between 80 and 100 people deployed across the country, Bjork said.
A delegation of 7 other members of the European Parliament (MEPs) will also be present.
