DRC ELECTIONS UPDATE: LAST REGISTRATION CENTERS

UNCLAS KINSHASA 000228

SIPDIS

SENSITIVE

E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: PGOV KDEM CG ELECTIONS
SUBJECT: DRC ELECTIONS UPDATE: LAST REGISTRATION CENTERS
CLOSED


1. (U) The Independent Electoral Commission (CEI) announced
February 9 that the last remaining voter registration
centers, located in Bandundu and Equateur provinces, will
close February 10, bringing an end to enrollment efforts
nationwide. Though the official enrollment period ended
December 15, 113 centers in Bandundu and 184 in Equateur
remained operational due to logistical delays in opening some
enrollment centers prior to the December 18-19 constitutional
referendum. The CEI announced the closing of the last centers
after having registered 98 percent of the estimated eligible
voters in those provinces. According to CEI figures as of
February 8, 2,886,298 Congolese have registered in Bandundu
and 2,926,991 have registered in Equateur. Total voter
registration in the DRC now stands at 25,603,079.


2. (U) The CEI also announced initial procedures and dates
for the registration of candidates. Presidential candidates
will have 10 days to register beginning the day after the
promulgation of the electoral law. (Note: The electoral law
is still awaiting adoption by the Parliament. A vote on the
law is expected February 13, pending the promulgation of the
DRC's new constitution. End note.) Presidential candidates
will only be allowed to register at CEI offices in Kinshasa.
Those planning to run as national deputies will be allowed to
register in the same time period, but must do so at CEI
offices in the capitals of the DRC's 11 provinces. Candidates
for provincial legislatures will have one month to register,
beginning March 15, at CEI liaison offices throughout the
country. (Note: The CEI announced in January that any
candidates who failed to register to vote will be allowed to
do so at the same time they register their candidacies with
the Commission. End note.)


3. (SBU) Comment: The closing of registration centers may put
an end to speculation about restarting the enrollment process
to accommodate the demands of the opposition UDPS party,
which had made the reopening of the centers a condition for
their participation in elections. In addition, the
registration figures for Bandundu and Equateur will hopefully
allay fears of the PPRD and MLC that those two provinces
(which are important areas for their respective political
prospects) would be underrepresented in the allocation of
seats in the National Assembly. It is a safe bet, however,
that various candidates and parties will continue to press
for any advantage they can get in the process of finalizing
registration lists and allocating numbers of parliamentary
seats among the DRC's new voting districts. End comment.
MEECE