Cablegate: Drc Elections: Electoral Commission Extends

VZCZCXRO1747
PP RUEHBZ RUEHDU RUEHGI RUEHJO RUEHMR RUEHRN
DE RUEHKI #1848 3451456
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
P 111456Z DEC 06
FM AMEMBASSY KINSHASA
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC PRIORITY 5294
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 001848

SIPDIS

SENSITIVE
SIPDIS

E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: PGOV KDEM CG ELECTIONS
SUBJECT: DRC ELECTIONS: ELECTORAL COMMISSION EXTENDS
ENROLLMENT FOR GUBERNATORIAL CANDIDATES

REF: KINSHASA 1766

1. (U) The DRC's Independent Electoral Commission (CEI) has
extended the registration deadline for candidates running for
provincial governors and vice governors through December 12.
The CEI had originally planned to end enrollment December 8.
According to CEI spokesman Dieudonne Mirimo, the extension
was granted because not enough candidates had registered in
all of the DRC's eleven provinces.

2. (U) The DRC's eleven provincial assemblies will each elect
a governor and vice governor January 16. The registration
extension itself is not expected to delay this vote.

3. (SBU) Election experts with MONUC and the CEI have said
that gubernatorial elections -- as well as those for the
national Senate scheduled for January 7 -- may be pushed back
because of logistical difficulties in installing the
provincial assemblies. In some provinces, the buildings
reserved for the assemblies either lack electricity or are
occupied by other organizations, such as the CEI itself.
Electoral Commission officials worry the assemblies, which
are scheduled to convene December 18, will not be ready by
early January 2007 to organize and hold votes for senators
and governors.
MEECE

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