DRC ELECTION DAY: SITREP 1, 10/29 1000

UNCLAS KINSHASA 001671

SIPDIS

SIPDIS

E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: PGOV KDEM KPKO CG ELECTIONS
SUBJECT: DRC ELECTION DAY: SITREP 1, 10/29 1000



1. Senior representatives from the Kabila and Bemba camps
issued a joint appeal October 28 requesting their followers
to vote with "the same calm, order and serenity" as they did
in the first round. A copy of the statement has been
transmitted to AF/C and S/ES-O. An unofficial translation of
part of the text follows:

"Our great and beautiful country, which has suffered too long
from arbitrariness and violence, deserves to choose once and
for all the path of peace and democracy. The whole world will
be watching us Sunday. Let us show it the face of maturity
and responsibility while facing our destiny. We do this
together on this day, a unique, historic and memorable day.
In achieving this essential stage in our democratic
transition, we can leave behind the sad past and turn
resolutely towards the future, for the good of our country."


2. Voting in the presidential runoff and provincial assembly
races started throughout the DRC on October 29 without any
major reported problems or incidents. Polls opened
officially at 0600 local time nationwide. Here in Kinshasa,
steady rain delayed the opening of voting centers by 60-90
minutes and slowed the process in some areas. However, some
voters were reported making their way through flooded roads,
often carrying their shoes and rolling their pants up to wade
through knee-deep water. More voters are expected make their
way to the polls following the end of Sunday church services.


3. Most cities around the country -- including Goma, Bukavu,
Mbuji-Mayi, Bunia, Uvira, and Kisangani -- report fair
weather and reasonable-to-high turnout. Other urban centers,
including Kikwit, Lubumbashi and Gemena report lower numbers
of early voters than during the first round.


4. Consensus among observers in Kinshasa is that the voting
centers appear well organized, and that the voting process is
much simpler and more rapid than the July 30 first round.
The provincial assembly ballots are long and complex in some
districts, but the two-candidate presidential ballot is much
shorter. The lower early-morning turnout here is also a
factor.


5. Observers and party witnesses are present in numbers. In
some Kinshasa centers, there are too many party witnesses to
fit in the rooms; they are being required to rotate. One
mission observer reported that a voting center president
delayed opening because no party witnesses had arrived,
fearing that if he allowed voters to enter, party witnesses
would later accuse him of stuffing the ballot box. We
reported the problem to the Independent Electoral Institute
(CEI),which contacted the voting center. The center
subsequently opened, and no others incidents of this kind
have been reported.


6. In Lubumbashi, international observers reported that Vice
President Bemba's MLC was having difficulties getting all of
its witnesses in place, and had requested special permission
from the CEI to use accredited substitutes. MONUC reports
that CEI President Apollinaire Malu Malu approved the
request.
MEECE