Voter Registration in Bandundu

The DCM Samuel Laeuchli listens carefully to explanations on the voter registration process provided by Colette Apuwa, Technical Controller of CENI. (State Dept. Images)

On June 28, 2011, during his site visit to Bandundu-ville in western Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), the Deputy Chief of Mission at the U.S. Embassy in Kinshasa, Samuel Laeuchli, visited a registration center in the district of Disasi. Before the visit, Mr. Laeuchli met with Mr. Puati, the Coordinator of the Independent Electoral Commission in Bandundu. They discussed the ongoing activities and the challenges faced by the district. The U.S. Government, through USAID, is funding a two-year civic and voter education program entitled “Voter Opinion and Involvement through Civic Education (VOICE).” International Foundation for Electoral Systems (IFES) is the implementing partner for this program, which is designed to equip Congolese citizens with accurate information on the decentralization process and to enable them to participate effectively in the electoral process in advance of the general and local elections scheduled in 2011-2013.