Congo Fire Destroys Thousands of Voting Machines

A fire overnight at a warehouse in Congo’s capital destroyed thousands of voting machines and ballot boxes that were due to be used in the country’s long-delayed Dec. 23 presidential election, a presidential adviser said on Thursday.

Barnabe Kikaya bin Karubi blamed unidentified “criminals” for the blaze, which destroyed about 7,000 of the 10,000 voting machines due to be used in the capital Kinshasa, but said preparations for the election were continuing.

Kikaya said police guarding the warehouse – located in the Gombe riverside area of Kinshasa that is also home to President Joseph Kabila’s residence – had been arrested but made no further comment on what or who might have caused the blaze.

He said voting machines from elsewhere in Democratic Republic of Congo would be recalled for use in Kinshasa, which is home to more than 15 percent of the Congolese population.

The fire broke out about 2 a.m. (0100 GMT) and forensic police have now launched an investigation, Kikaya said.

This month’s highly anticipated vote could mark Congo’s first peaceful transition of power.

Kabila, in power since his father’s assassination in 2001, is due to step down because of constitutional term limits, although the vote has already been delayed by two years due to what authorities said were logistical challenges.