DRC ELECTIONS SET FOR JULY 30

UNCLAS KINSHASA 000681 SIPDIS SIPDIS E.O. 12958: N/A TAGS: PGOV KDEM KPKO CG SUBJECT: DRC ELECTIONS SET FOR JULY 30 REF: A. KINSHASA 676 ¶B. KINSHASA 630 ¶1. (U) The Independent Electoral Commission announced April 30 that the first round of presidential and legislative elections will be held July 30. During an evening press conference April 30 attended by PolOff, CEI President Abbe Apollinaire Malu Malu said the vote was delayed from the previously announced date of June 18 in order to meet the logistical challenges of printing and delivering ballots across the country. Malu Malu also announced that 9,632 candidates had been officially approved to run for the 500-seat National Assembly. According to the new electoral calendar, campaigning for the presidential and legislative races is set to begin June 29 and is scheduled to end July 28. ¶2. (U) There has been no public reaction yet to the CEI's announcement, as May 1 is a national holiday. PolOff will attend the regularly-scheduled MONUC elections technical committee meeting May 2 during which the logistical aspects of the new calendar will be outlined, and will report details septel. DOUGHERTY