PRESIDENT TO PROMULGATE CONSTITUTION FEBRUARY 18

UNCLAS KINSHASA 000234 SIPDIS SIPDIS SENSITIVE E.O. 12958: N/A TAGS: PGOV KDEM KPKO CG SUBJECT: PRESIDENT TO PROMULGATE CONSTITUTION FEBRUARY 18 REF: KINSHASA 197 ¶1. (U) President Kabila intends on February 18 to promulgate the constitution approved overwhelmingly by Congolese voters in a December 18-19 referendum. A large ceremony is apparently being planned, to include a military parade, a speech by Kabila, and the presence of ROC President Sassou Nguesso and possibly other foreign dignitaries. ¶2. (SBU) Presidency officials have been planning such an event since early January. The original plan was to promulgate the constitution and hold the ceremony on January ¶26. Unfortunate delays pushed the date back, further straining an increasingly problematic elections timetable. ¶3. (SBU) Comment: The electoral law currently before parliament can not be adopted until after the constitution is promulgated. Recent and persistent slippage by the GDRC in meeting targets has made the already tight elections timetable even more constrained. CIAT just last week pointed out the need for the constitution to be promulgated immediately, and even after it became known that a ceremony was being planned for February 18, appeals went out suggesting that the constitution be quietly promulgated at once and then commemorated later in the week. The prevailing attitude in the government seems to be that "just a few more days" doesn't really make any difference. The reality, however, is that every day counts at this point if successful elections are to be completed, and a new government inaugurated, by June 30 when the transition's mandate expires. End comment. MEECE NNNN