Cablegate: Drc Elections: 57 Percent of Districts Reporting,

VZCZCXRO4705
PP RUEHBZ RUEHDU RUEHGI RUEHJO RUEHMR RUEHRN
DE RUEHKI #1729 3131416
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
P 091416Z NOV 06
FM AMEMBASSY KINSHASA
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC PRIORITY 5135
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 001729

SIPDIS

SENSITIVE
SIPDIS

E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: PGOV KDEM CG ELECTIONS
SUBJECT: DRC ELECTIONS: 57 PERCENT OF DISTRICTS REPORTING,
KABILA STILL LEADING VOTE

1. (U) Votes from 57 percent of the DRC's electoral districts
have now been tabulated. President Joseph Kabila has received
62.3 percent of the votes counted, Vice President Jean-Pierre
Bemba 37.7 percent. More than half these votes come from
Kabila's eastern strongholds. The total number of valid votes
counted to date is 8.8 million.

2. (U) As of November 8, the Independent Electoral Commission
(CEI) has released results from 92 electoral districts: 46
are from the east, 33 from the west. All votes from Kinshasa
have now been tabulated. Thirteen districts have been
reported from the centrally-located Kasai region.

3. (U) Kabila's support continues to be drawn primarily from
the east, Bemba's from the west and center. Kabila has won 92
percent of the votes tallied from Katanga, Maniema, North
Kivu, South Kivu, and Orientale provinces. Bemba has won 74
percent of the vote thus far reported from Bandundu,
Bas-Congo, Equateur, and Kinshasa, as well as 93 percent in
Eastern and Western Kasai.

4. (U) Kabila's percentages continue to increase compared to
the July 30 election in the Kinshasa and Bandundu bases of
his ally Antoine Gizenga. He has won 30 percent of the vote
reported thus far in Bandundu versus the three percent he won
in the first round. Provisional results for Kinshasa show
Kabila's share increased to 32 percent from the 15 percent he
garnered July 30.

5. (U) Average turnout rate in the 92 districts is nearly 64
percent of eligible voters, compared to 71 percent nationwide
in the first round. Participation in the 46 eastern districts
is down six percent, while in the 33 western districts it is
down 15 percent. Turnout rates in the 13 Kasai districts that
have thus far reported have risen approximately 12 percent.

6. (SBU) Comment: With the count skewed toward eastern
regions where Kabila is heavily favored, more figures from
Bandundu, Equateur, and the Kasais will be needed before any
conclusions can be drawn about the final result. End comment.
MEECE

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