DRC ELECTIONS: MORE THAN 13,000 CANDIDATES FOR

UNCLAS KINSHASA 001025 SIPDIS SENSITIVE SIPDIS E.O. 12958: N/A TAGS: PGOV KDEM KPKO CG ELECTIONS SUBJECT: DRC ELECTIONS: MORE THAN 13,000 CANDIDATES FOR PROVINCIAL LEGISLATURES REF: KINSHASA 862 ¶1. (U) The Independent Electoral Commission (CEI) announced June 22 the provisional list of candidates for the DRC's provincial legislatures. According to the CEI, 13,371 candidate dossiers were accepted for the 632 seats nationwide; 466 potential candidacies were declared inadmissible. The DRC's 11 provincial appellate courts June 24 began deliberations on challenges to the candidate list. CEI spokesman Dieudonne Mirimo said the courts are expected to finish their work the week of July 3, after which the CEI will publish the final list of provincial candidates. ¶2. (SBU) Mirimo said it is also expected the CEI will announce the next stage of the electoral calendar leading up to the second round of elections -- which will include a second round of presidential (if necessary) and provincial voting -- immediately after the release of the final provincial candidate list. Mirimo could not say when the second round would be held, as the CEI was still discussing the logistical steps necessary after the July 30 first-round elections. MEECE