A fire still under investigation has destroyed 8,000 voting machines in the Democratic Republic of Congo’s capital — 80% of the city’s stock — just 10 days ahead of a presidential election, the nation’s electoral body and police said Thursday.
Smoke still lingered the day after flames engulfed a warehouse housing electoral materials on Wednesday in Kinshasa, the officials said.
The ruined ballot machines were among 10,000 due to be used in the December 23 vote, Congo’s electoral commission chief, Corneille Nangaa, said.
Police are working to determine the fire’s cause, according to local reports.
Voting materials from other parts of the country will be sent to Kinshasa, and election preparations will continue as planned, the electoral body said.
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