VZCZCXRO5371
PP RUEHBZ RUEHDU RUEHGI RUEHJO RUEHMR RUEHRN
DE RUEHKI #1683/01 3041557
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
P 311557Z OCT 06
FM AMEMBASSY KINSHASA
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC PRIORITY 5080
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 SECTION 01 OF 02 KINSHASA 001683 
 
SIPDIS 
 
SENSITIVE 
SIPDIS 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: PGOV KDEM CG ELECTIONS
SUBJECT: DRC ELECTIONS: BALLOT COMPILATION UNDERWAY WITH 
MINOR DELAYS IN KINSHASA 
 
REF: A. KINSHASA 1677 
     ¶B. KINSHASA 1673 
     ¶C. KINSHASA 1674 
     ¶D. KINSHASA 1485 
 
¶1. (U) Summary: AF DAS Yamamoto emphasized to the Congolese 
press strong U.S. interest in working with a freely-elected 
Congolese government after heading the U.S. observer team for 
the October 29 DRC elections. One of two Kinshasa television 
stations owned by Vice President Jean-Pierre Bemba is again 
broadcasting. Collection and compilation of ballots is well 
underway. Independent Electoral Commission (CEI) President 
Malu Malu warned against premature announcement of results. 
The CEI is conducting re-votes in Bumba, Equateur province 
and Fataki, Ituri District because of disruptions caused by 
crowd violence on election day. The CEI and MONUC are 
investigating allegations by Human Rights Watch of 
irregularities in Nizi, Ituri District. End summary. 
 
¶2. (U) AF Deputy Assistant Secretary Donald Yamamoto, who 
headed the U.S. Mission observer team for the October 29 DRC 
elections, received wide coverage in the October 31 Kinshasa 
press. DAS Yamamoto praised the conduct of the elections and 
reiterated strong U.S. interest in working with a 
freely-elected Congolese government. He and the Ambassador 
also met with Antoine Gizenga, whose party will provide the 
prime minister in the event of a Kabila victory, and with 
other political figures. Gizenga said that he had high 
expectations for cooperation with the United States if his 
party enters the government. 
 
¶3. (U) One of two Kinshasa television stations owned by Vice 
President Jean-Pierre Bemba is again operational after 
having its transmission interrupted October 29. CCTV 
information director Patrick Palaka said the station's 
technicians were able to re-establish their signal, 
attributing the problem to "technical difficulties." The 
other Bemba station, Canal Kin TV, had its signal interrupted 
October 27 and remains off the air, although a senior MLC 
official, Thomas Luhaka, told us October 30 that Canal Kin's 
problem was also a technical fault. 
 
¶4. (SBU) Collection and verification of ballots and tally 
sheets has begun at the DRC's 62 compilation centers, the 
CEI's Director of National Operations Flavien Misoni told a 
meeting of international donors in Kinshasa October 31. No 
major problems have been reported in the transport of 
documents to the centers. 
 
¶5. (U) Misoni said that in Kinshasa, collection of material 
from the capital's 8,500 polling sites has been slow but 
orderly. PolOffs observed a much improved process during an 
October 30 visit to Kinshasa's collection and compilation 
centers. They saw hundreds of waterproof bags neatly 
organized in a giant warehouse according to locality, unlike 
the first-round process which was characterized by 
disorganized piles of ballots and paperwork. Dozens of CEI 
workers were at the center to verify the contents of the bags 
and to process and collate voting materials. MONUC, EUFOR and 
Congolese police provided visible security at the site. 
 
¶6. (SBU) CEI and MONUC had originally estimated three to four 
days for collection and transfer of all material to a central 
compilation center, but the process has started more slowly 
than anticipated. The first deliveries of voting material 
arrived several hours late, and CEI workers appeared 
unfamiliar with their tasks. A MONUC logistics coordinator 
told us they do not expect the collection process in Kinshasa 
to be completed until November 5. We  will continue to 
monitor progress at these centers. 
 
¶7. (SBU) Misoni reiterated the CEI intends to announce 
provisional presidential results no later than November 19, 
but noted this could happen sooner depending on how quickly 
ballots are tabulated. He said that preliminary results from 
some electoral districts may be ready for publication within 
the next two days. 
 
¶8. (U) In a press conference the same day, CEI President 
Apollinaire Malu Malu said he was concerned about premature 
publication of election results and about false results which 
may be circulating. He emphasized the CEI alone is authorized 
to announce results, and called on media outlets to refrain 
from announcing any partial figures. He stated that such 
actions would create confusion and tension. 
 
KINSHASA 00001683  002 OF 002 
 
 
 
¶9. (U) Malu Malu said that the Ituri District city of Fataki 
will hold a re-vote November 1. An enraged mob there 
destroyed 43 polling stations after two CEI workers were shot 
dead the morning of October 30 by a Congolese soldier (ref 
A). Malu Malu said the soldier has already been found guilty 
by a military court and sentenced to death. 
 
¶10. (U) Misoni reported voting restarted October 31 in Bumba 
in Equateur province at 30 polling sites closed because of 
election day violence (ref B). Misoni said a CEI delegation 
had arrived in Bumba October 30 with election kits and other 
replacement materials and would be monitoring the operations. 
 
¶11. (SBU) MONUC and CEI officials said they are investigating 
allegations by Human Rights Watch that elements of the 
Congolese military prevented voters in Ituri District from 
going to the polls October 29 (ref C). MONUC Electoral 
Division director Ali Diabacte said MONUC was surprised to 
hear of the report and is investigating it seriously. He said 
that MONUC has so far not found evidence to support the 
allegations. 
 
¶12. (U) Several international organizations and donors issued 
statements praising the conduct of the October 29 elections. 
The International Committee to Accompany the Transition 
(CIAT) congratulated the Congolese people for their civic 
spirit and CEI officials for their efforts in organizing the 
elections. European Union foreign policy chief Javier Solana 
called on all political actors to respect the election 
results. MONUC and the Belgian government also declared their 
satisfaction with the organization of the electoral process. 
MEECE