SHOOTOUT AT NORTH KIVU ELECTIONS RALLY

C O N F I D E N T I A L KINSHASA 001155 SIPDIS SIPDIS E.O. 12958: DECL: 10/10/2015 TAGS: PGOV PHUM ELECTIONS CG SUBJECT: SHOOTOUT AT NORTH KIVU ELECTIONS RALLY Classified By: PolOff TJNaber, reasons 1.4 b/d. ¶1. (C) Violence erupted at an elections rally for Independent National Assembly candidate Jean-Luc Mutokambali in Rugarama, North Kivu on June 17. Mutokambali, a Hutu from a prominent area family, had attracted a crowd of 100-200 supporters in the town (bordering Uganda) in North Kivu's volatile Rutshuru territory. Ten to twelve unidentified perpetrators disrupted the rally by shooting arbitrarily into the crowd. An unharmed Mutokambali fled to a Ugandan police station; four attendees (including a FARDC soldier) were killed and six were wounded. ¶2. (C) According to MONUC, Mutokambali's family and other locals claim jealousy was the motive, noting Mutokambali's success in campaigning. They fingered Governor Serufuli and alleged he had a list of five more candidates (all Hutu) to be eliminated before the elections. North Kivu Governor Serufuli, however, blamed Hutu gunmen for hire who dislike him and his allies (Note: Serufuli said Mutokambali is a good friend). MONUC Poloff said there was no evidence of FDLR involvement in the violence. MEECE