The UN, which has agreed to help transport voting materials for DR Congo's elections on Wednesday, has not received instructions from electoral authorities on where to take the equipment, according to a letter seen by AFP.
As mounting logistical problems spurred fears of chaos on polling day, the UN peacekeeping mission in the DRC, known as MONUSCO, was tasked with helping to transport voting materials in several provinces.
Forty-four million people are registered to vote in the vast, central African nation on Wednesday.
But according to a MONUSCO letter to the Congolese electoral commission, dated Monday, the UN has received "no distribution plan" for the provinces of Tanganyika, Bas-Uele, Haut-Uele and Tshopo, where it has been asked to help.
Logistical challenge
It also says the electoral commission has not informed the UN about the quantity of materials to distribute in those provinces, among other issues.
Organising elections in the DRC is a daunting logistical challenge.
The electoral commission, CENI, has repeatedly assured voters that polling materials will reach the country's 26 provinces on time.
Last week, the Congolese government asked the UN to authorise its peacekeeping mission to transport voting materials in several provinces other than those of North Kivu, South Kivu and Ituri where it is currently deployed.
Delays
The plea for logistical help came despite the government's demand that Monusco withdraw from the country, arguing it is ineffective.
The UN agreed to help transport voting materials on Friday. MONUSCO, in its letter, suggested that a lack of information could cause delays.
"Conducting operations in places where we are not present requires logistical installation (provisioning of fuel, support staff), which could lead to delays of up to 48 hours," it said.
It is not clear whether the letter indicates that voting materials will not reach the four provinces on time.
Egypt's help
Neither the electoral commission nor MONUSCO was immediately available for comment.
The DRC has also sought other outside help for transporting its voting materials.
Egypt has granted the government the use of two of its military transport aircraft. Polls are due to open at 6:00 am (0500 GMT) nationwide on Wednesday.
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