DRC ELECTIONS: MORE THAN 8,300 APPROVED TO RUN FOR

UNCLAS KINSHASA 000575 SIPDIS SIPDIS E.O. 12958: N/A TAGS: PGOV KDEM CG SUBJECT: DRC ELECTIONS: MORE THAN 8,300 APPROVED TO RUN FOR NATIONAL ASSEMBLY REF: KINSHASA 547 ¶1. (U) The Independent Electoral Commission (CEI) announced April 12 that 8,340 dossiers have been validated from candidates running for seats in the 500-member National Assembly. The CEI received 9,797 candidacies nationwide; the remaining 1,457 dossiers are still being reviewed by the CEI. Those candidates whose paperwork has not yet been approved by the Electoral Commission will have until April 14 to meet the necessary criteria. (Note: As of April 2, when the official candidate registration period ended, 8,650 dossiers had been received by the CEI. The increased number reflects additional candidacies received at CEI headquarters in Kinshasa from CEI field offices after that deadline. No potential candidates were allowed to register after April 2. End note.) ¶2. (U) The CEI will publish its next provisional list of legislative candidates April 15. After this announcement, challenges can be made against the list to the Supreme Court. The Court will have seven days to examine all challenges and make its ruling, leading to a final list of candidates. According to the last published electoral calendar from the CEI, the Court was scheduled to render its decisions by April ¶18. However, because of delays in receiving candidate dossiers from the CEI's provincial offices, the publication of the provisional list will be delayed as well. MEECE