At least 45 million voters will be enrolled biometrically

The Democratic Republic of Congo is following the steps of Nigeria and other African nations that have adopted the biometric voter registration system. The country plans to enroll up to 45 million voters in one of the largest voter registrations ever held in the country.

CENI, the DRC's electoral body, has already received 22,000 mobile biometric voter enrollment kits to aid an update of the country's national voter register.

DRC aims to setup 18,000 enrollment centers to acquire photographs, fingerprints and signature records of citizens, and issue personalized voter cards for the upcoming general elections.

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Gemalto's Coesys Mobile Enrollment stations are going to be used for the exercise and they feature a ruggedized, suitcase-style design that be deployed just about anywhere.

The electoral officers that will use the kits will also be trained by Gemalto, and the company will also provide maintenance and support for the voter registration project.

Some measure of peace and sanctity only just returned to the DRC, a country that has been plagued with war and poverty for the past decade. The upcoming elections and the implementation of this new biometric voter registration system are some of the bright spots the populace are looking up to.