DRC ELECTIONS: SECURITY CONCERNS MINIMAL IN THE

C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 02 KINSHASA 001663

SIPDIS

SIPDIS

E.O. 12958: DECL: 10/27/2016
TAGS: PGOV KDEM CG ELECTIONS
SUBJECT: DRC ELECTIONS: SECURITY CONCERNS MINIMAL IN THE
KASAIS

REF: A. KINSHASA 1603


B. KINSHASA 1212

Classified By: PolOff CBrown, reasons 1.4 b/d.


1. (C) Summary: Western and Eastern Kasai provinces witnessed
acts of politically-related violence before and during the
July 30 elections. The potential for isolated incidents
remains, but security and political officials in the region
do not foresee problems that could derail the October 29
elections. The more common political incidents to date have
been harassment and the destruction of campaign materials.
End summary.

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FEW CONCERNS ABOUT ELECTION-RELATED VIOLENCE
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2. (U) Isolated acts of politically-related violence in the
central provinces of Western and Eastern Kasai (reftel) were
the only major security problems to arise during the DRC's
July 30 elections. However, political and security officials
in the region tell us they do not expect a recurrence for the
October 29 vote.


3. (C) MONUC-Mbuji-Mayi Head of Office Mamady Kouyate said
the political atmosphere in Eastern Kasai has quieted since
the first round elections, and that Kasaians are now more
welcoming of the political process. The most
commonly-reported recent incidents have been stonings of
MONUC and Electoral Commission vehicles and destruction of
campaign posters. Kananga Mayor Mazarin Fwamba predicted the
election will go smoothly if police can maintain security.
Kananga's police have received additional communications and
riot control equipment. Fwamba expressed confidence that
police would not try to intimidate voters or contribute to
any potential violence.


4. (C) Western Kasai's Police Inspector General Gedeon Lombo
expressed concern about attacks on merchants by demobilized
soldiers, but said the incidents did not appear related to
the elections.

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BUT WORRY ABOUT THE POST-ELECTION PERIOD
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5. (C) Eastern Kasai's Regional Military Commander General
Obedi Rwibasira said he did not believe security would be
an issue for the elections, but said he was worried that
tensions could escalate after the vote. He said he was
concerned about the post-election period, particularly when
results are announced. He expressed fear that "some
politicians" may not accept the results and could try to
incite the population, although he doubted they would be
successful.

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POLICE LACK SUFFICIENT RESOURCES
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6. (C) Security officials expressed concern about lack of
resources needed to respond to any widespread insecurity. The
director of the DRC's National Intelligence Agency in Eastern
Kasai, Roger Kibeliso, said police in both provinces lacked
adequate logistical support. Eastern Kasai's Police Inspector
General Jean Oleko said that the police did not have enough
gasoline for all their vehicles due to fuel shortages in the
province. Lombo expressed similar worries about the mobility
of Western Kasai's police forces; he said they had fewer than
a dozen working vehicles in the entire province.


7. (C) Both police officials said they also lacked sufficient
forces to fully deploy in rural areas. Each province has
approximately 5,000 police officers to provide security for
the electoral process. In Mweka and the surrounding area,
where July 30 violence forced the closure of some voting
stations, Lombo said there are just 100 police officers in
place for a population of nearly 300,000.

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POLITICAL HARASSMENT MORE COMMON
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8. (SBU) Political harassment of campaigners, particularly in
the main cities of Kananga and Mbuji-Mayi, and the

KINSHASA 00001663 002 OF 002


destruction of campaign materials by rival political groups,
are the most common election-related incidents reported in
the region. The most serious incident in the latest round of
campaigning occurred in Lodja, when a rally of Bemba
supporters was stoned by a crowd of Kabila partisans (ref A).
MONUC officials in both provinces have said that otherwise
campaigning has been less heated than in July.

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COMMENT: WIDESPREAD VIOLENCE AGAIN UNLIKELY
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9. (C) Comment: Although police forces are stretched thin and
lack resources, the improvements since July mean that they
are now better prepared to prevent and react to incidents
that could impede the October 29 election or destabilize the
region after announcement of results. End comment.
MEECE