The United States punishes Congo's election officials: the standard

The United States imposed sanctions on three senior officials of the Democratic Republic of Congo's electoral commission, accusing them of corruption and obstructing the December presidential elections.

The US Treasury said in a statement that the organization of the elections of the commission on December 30, which led to Congo's first transfer of power through the ballot box, "failed to guarantee that the vote takes into account the will of the Congolese people ".
Nevertheless, the statement did not question the legitimacy of President Felix Tshisekedi's victory, despite what sources told Reuters was absolute madness to prevent the winner, Martin Fayulu, from taking the lead .
Corneille Nangaa, Chair of the United States Sanctions Commission, Norbert Basengezi, Vice-Chair, and Marcellin Mukolo Basengezi, Nangaa Councilor and son of Norbert Basengezi.

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Nangaa and Norbert Basengezi were not immediately available for comment. Marcellin Mukolo Basengezi could not be contacted for comment.
The Treasury declaration focused on the efforts of the three countries to "hinder and delay preparations" for the elections, scheduled for 2016, and corruption related to the purchase of goods. voting apparatus and other equipment.
Former President Joseph Kabila was required by the constitution to step down in December 2016 after an election to choose his successor, but the commission has repeatedly postponed the vote, due to logistical hurdles.
According to the Treasury, the three officials facilitated the delays by diverting money intended to finance the vote of the front companies and accused Nangaa and Norbert Basengezi of corrupting judges of the Supreme Court of Congo to approve a postponement elections in 2016.
Commission officials, under the leadership of Nangaa, then inflated the cost of electronic voting machines by $ 100 million "in order to use surplus funds for personal enrichment, bribes and de-vin and campaign costs to fund the Kabila candidate's election campaign. "
Kabila's favorite candidate, former Interior Minister Emmanuel Ramazani Shadary, finished third in the official results.
Congolese sources in contact with Nangaa and other senior government officials told Reuters that Fayulu had won the elections, but that the highest officials had instructed the commission to allocate the vote to Tshisekedi, which Kabila's camp considered less important. hostile to his interests.
The Kabila and Tshisekedi camps both deny that the vote was rigged.
The United States strongly criticized the conduct of the elections, but ultimately acknowledged Tshisekedi's victory and pledged to work with his government.

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President Felix Tshisekedi Democratic Republic of Congo