PRESIDENT REGISTERS TO VOTE IN KINSHASA -

C O N F I D E N T I A L KINSHASA 001202

SIPDIS

E.O. 12958: DECL: 07/25/2015
TAGS: PGOV KDEM KPKO PREL CG
SUBJECT: PRESIDENT REGISTERS TO VOTE IN KINSHASA -
REGISTRATION BEGINS IN THE INTERIOR

Classified By: Poloff Gons Nachman for Reasons 1.4 B and D


1. (U) President Joseph Kabila registered to vote in Kinshasa
July 24, the last regularly scheduled day for voter
registration in the capital. Minister of Interior, Theophile
Mbemba, a prominent member of the People's Party for
Reconstruction and Democracy (PPRD) which supports Kabila,
also registered in Kinshasa on the same day, as did some
politicians from the Movement for the Liberation of Congo
(MLC) and the Congolese Rally for Democracy (RCD).


2. (C) The Independent Electoral Commission (CEI) extended
voter registration in Kinshasa for an additional week until
July 31. According to the CEI, 2,766,760 voters have
registered in Kinshasa as of July 25, representing over 80%
of the estimated voters in the capital. (Note: Although the
CEI's stated reason for the extension was to give sufficient
time to the population to register, the proximate cause of
the decision was Union for Democracy and Social Progress
(UDPS) leader Tshisekedi's demand that registration be
continued to give his supporters time to register. They had
been directed not to do so by Tshisekedi, who had been
seeking some concessions from the transition government. End
Note.)

Registration Begins in Bas Congo and Orientale Province
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3. (U) According to CEI officials, voter registration started
in Matadi, Mbasangungu, Kisantu, Boma, and Tshela, Bas Congo
Province, and in Kisangani, Buta, Isiro, and Bunia, Orientale
Province, on July 25th as scheduled. Minister of Foreign
Affairs Raymond Ramazani traveled to Kisangani to register,
and Monsignor Laurent Monsengwo indicated he will also be
registering in the province. The CEI hopes to register
between three and four million voters in these two provinces
over the next three to four weeks.

Comment
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4. (C) Kabila, whose strongest political base is in Katanga
Province, had been expected to register there rather than in
Kinshasa. His decision to register in the capital along with
other prominent PPRD figures, reflects possible party concern
over its electoral prospects in Kinshasa. CEI officials said
the UDPS has started to encourage their supporters to
register, although party leaders have yet to make any
official announcements on this regard, and Tshisekedi himself
has not yet registered.
MEECE