Cablegate: Drc Elections: Early Results Show Kabila in Lead

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PP RUEHDU RUEHGI RUEHJO RUEHMR RUEHRN
DE RUEHKI #1269 2231410
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
P 111410Z AUG 06
FM AMEMBASSY KINSHASA
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC PRIORITY 4579
INFO RUEHXR/RWANDA COLLECTIVE
RUCNSAD/SOUTHERN AFRICAN DEVELOPMENT COMMUNITY
RUEAIIA/CIA WASHDC
RHEFDIA/DIA WASHDC
RHMFISS/HQ USEUCOM VAIHINGEN GE
RUFOADA/JAC MOLESWORTH RAF MOLESWORTH UK

UNCLAS KINSHASA 001269

SIPDIS

SIPDIS

E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: PGOV KDEM KPKO CG ELECTIONS
SUBJECT: DRC ELECTIONS: EARLY RESULTS SHOW KABILA IN LEAD

REF: A. KINSHASA 1264

B. KINSHASA 1257

1. (U) With nearly 20 percent of the DRC's electoral
districts reporting their presidential results, Independent
Electoral Commission (CEI) figures show that incumbent
President Joseph Kabila is leading Vice President Jean-Pierre
Bemba 48 to 20 percent. As of August 10, 32 of the country's
169 districts have finished compiling ballots after nearly
two weeks of counting. Of those districts reporting results,
17 are from the east, 13 are in the west, and two are from
the central region of the DRC. A total of 2,151,867 valid
votes have been counted thus far, with 1,035,693 going to
Kabila and 427,135 going to Bemba. No other candidate has
received more than four percent of the total counted from
those 20 percent of districts having reported.

2. (U) The initial results show Kabila doing well in the
eastern provinces, as expected. Kabila has won 16 districts
overall, most of them in eastern DRC, in the provinces of
Katanga, North Kivu and Orientale. (Kabila also won more than
50 percent of votes in the district of Kabinda in Eastern
Kasai.) Bemba so far has won nine districts, most being in
the western provinces of Bas-Congo and Equateur. (Bemba was
also the winner in the district of Kamiji, south of
Mbuji-Mayi, in Eastern Kasai.) Six candidates won the
remaining seven districts where results are now known: Pierre
Matusila (who won two districts in Bas-Congo), Oscar Kashala
(who won one district in Bas-Congo), Nzanga Mobutu (one
district in Orientale), Pierre Pay Pay (one district in
Katanga), Antoine Gizenga (one district in Bandundu), and
Wivine N'Landu (one district in Bas-Congo).

3. (U) Initial voter participation rates remain much higher
than in the December constitutional referendum, which saw a
64 percent turnout. According to CEI figures, Congolese voter
participation is reported to be nearly 75 percent in the 32
districts having thus far reported their results. Turnout
continues to be higher in the east, with the highest reported
rate of 89.8 percent in the district of Kaila (Maniema
province); the lowest reported turnout rate thus far was in
Kamiji district (Eastern Kasai province), with 47.36 percent
participation.

4. (U) According to election officials, results from the
important Kinshasa voting districts should become available
this weekend (ref A) from some of the more than 8,500 polling
stations in the capital. Once these figures are announced, a
more complete electoral picture will start to come into
focus. CEI workers continue to compile and tabulate
presidential ballots at 62 centers nationwide from the 49,746
voting stations established for the July 30 vote. CEI
President Abbe Apollinaire Malu Malu continues to say
publicly that nationwide provisional presidential results
will be announced no later than August 20.
MEECE

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