VZCZCXRO4857
PP RUEHBZ RUEHDU RUEHGI RUEHJO RUEHMR RUEHRN
DE RUEHKI #1774/01 3250901
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
P 210901Z NOV 06
FM AMEMBASSY KINSHASA
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC PRIORITY 5198
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 001774 
 
SIPDIS 
 
SENSITIVE 
SIPDIS 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: PGOV KDEM CG ELECTIONS
SUBJECT: CEI RESPONSES TO BEMBA'S COMPLAINTS 
 
REF: A. A. KINSHASA 1765 
     ¶B. B. KINSHASA 1762 
     ¶C. C. KINSHASA 1752 
     ¶D. D. KINSHASA 1759 
     ¶E. E. KINSHASA 1755 
 
¶1. (U)  Summary:  Presidential candidate Jean-Pierre Bemba, 
in his capacity as President of the Movement for the 
Liberation of the Congo (MLC), filed six separate complaints 
with electoral authorities of alleged irregularities in the 
DRC's October 29 election. Most were general and not backed 
up by evidence.  The Independent Electoral Commission (CEI) 
has responded to four of the six complaints of its handling 
of the votes and vote counts.  Bemba has since filed formal 
complaints with the Supreme Court in accordance with 
electoral law (ref A).  End summary. 
 
¶2. (SBU) In his November 16 statement challenging the results 
of the October 29 DRC elections (ref B), presidential 
candidate Jean-Pierre Bemba charged that the Independent 
Electoral Commission had responded to only two of six written 
complaints.  Bemba allies have been vocal on this issue, 
erroneously claiming that the CEI has refused to respond to 
any of his allegations of irregularities (ref C). 
 
¶3. (SBU) In fact, the CEI had responded to four of the 
written complaints submitted by Bemba, acting in his capacity 
as National President of the MLC, by that time his statement 
was issued.  Analysis of the documents indicates that the 
complaints were general in nature and lacked supporting 
evidence.  The CEI responses concluded that there were no 
irregularities sufficient to overturn the results. 
 
¶4. (U) In his first complaint, dated November 8, Bemba cited 
alleged "anomalies and irregularities" in various parts of 
the east.  Specifically, he claimed that his party witnesses 
were denied access to voting stations "in all of the bureaus 
in South Kivu, North Kivu, North Katanga and Maniema," in 
violation of electoral law; this would represent several 
thousand stations.  He also claimed that voter turnout in 
those areas was exceptionally high, implying that the numbers 
were falsified. 
 
¶5. (U) The CEI responded in separate letters November 10 and 
11 that alleged violations of electoral law must be brought 
before a court, rather than the CEI.  They also noted that, 
without more details regarding specific polling stations, 
they could not investigate generalized complaints of 
allegedly inflated numbers.  For those stations which Bemba 
specifically cited, the CEI arranged for a recount at the 
local compilation center, and even rescheduled the recount at 
the request of Bemba's party witnesses. 
 
¶6. (U) In his second complaint, dated November 9, Bemba 
alleged an allegation of "infiltration of false ballots" at 
an unspecified compilation center in Bandundu province. 
(Note:  There are six compilation centers total in Bandundu. 
End note.)  The CEI has not yet provided a direct response to 
this complaint. 
 
¶7. (U) In his third complaint, also dated November 9,  Bemba 
alleged that there were "flagrant anomalies" in vote counts 
in the city of Lodja, Eastern Kasai and the regional 
compilation center in Lusambo.  The CEI responded that it had 
already explained the vote count to Bemba's representatives, 
but ordered a re-count in the Lusambo center.  It noted, "The 
witnesses for the Union for the Nation haven't wanted to 
collaborate in this exercise, taking into account the urgency 
of answering this question, we would be happy if you use your 
authority to order them to participate without delay." 
 
¶8. (U) Bemba's fourth complaint, dated November 10, focused 
primarily on the number of votes by special dispensation (ref 
D).  In its response, the CEI noted it was conducting a 
review of these votes.  It also refuted allegations of 
several "fictitious voting stations" in Lubutu that were 
raised in the same complaint, noting that the station numbers 
noted were actually part of a different territory. 
 
¶9. (U) In his fifth complaint, dated November 12, Bemba 
raised questions regarding the large number of ballots cast 
by voters on "omitted" and "special" lists.  The CEI 
responded by distributing a CD-ROM which contained specific 
lists representing voters expected to participate, voters 
identified on the annotated lists, and absentee voters on 
each of the omitted and special voters lists.  It closed by 
 
KINSHASA 00001774  002 OF 002 
 
 
stating that "the CEI considers that all of your concerns 
have been completely addressed." 
 
¶10. (U) CEI officials confirmed that Bemba filed a sixth 
complaint, dated November 16, but told us they would not 
consider a response since the letter largely repeated issues 
they had already addressed.  This complaint was not submitted 
to the CEI until after its announcement of provisional 
election results November 15 (ref E). 
 
¶11. (SBU) Comment.  The focus is now on the Supreme Court, 
which Bemba has asked to annul the results of the 
presidential election based on "irregularities" (ref A).  The 
court has seven days from November 19 to issue its findings 
on all complaints brought before it, and to certify the 
provisional results announced on November 15.  End comment. 
MEECE