BOSHAB ELECTED PRESIDENT OF NATIONAL ASSEMBLY

UNCLAS KINSHASA 000389

SENSITIVE
SIPDIS

E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: PGOV PREL MOPS KPKO CG
SUBJECT: BOSHAB ELECTED PRESIDENT OF NATIONAL ASSEMBLY


1. (SBU) Evariste Boshab, majority candidate for National Assembly
President, easily beat opposition leader Francois Mwamba in the
April 17 election to replace the National Assembly Executive
Directorate ("Bureau Executif" in French). Boshab, Secretary
General of the presidential party PPRD ("Parti du Peuple pour la
Reconstruction et la Democratie" in French),collected 329 of the
484 votes cast, while Mwamba received 75, independent candidate
Baudouin Idambito garnered 54, and Christian Democrat Gilbert
Kiakwama mustered 15.


2. (SBU) The presidential majority alliance AMP ("Alliance de la
Majorite Presidentielle" in French) retained control of the entire
directorate, winning all seven seats. In addition to Boshab, who is
from West Kasai, the six remaining offices were filled as follows:

-- First Vice President ("Premier Vice President") Boris Mbuku,
Bandundu Province, AMP/FR ("Forces de Renouveau");

-- Second Vice President ("Deuxieme Vice President") Georgine
Madiko, Bandundu Province, AMP/PALU ("Parti Lumumbiste Unifie");

-- Secretary ("Rapporteur") Wildor Makonero, South Kivu, AMP/PPRD ;

-- Deputy Secretary ("Rapporteur Adjoint") Sophie Kakudji, Katanga,
AMP/UNAFEC ("Union des Nationalistes Federalistes du Congo");

-- Administrative and Financial Control Officer ("Questeur"),
Dieudonne Bolenge Tenke, Orientale, AMP/MSR ("Movement Social pour
le Renouveau");

-- Deputy Administrative and Financial Control Officer ("Questeur
Adjoint"),Robert Bopolo, Equateur, AMP/PDC ("Parti Democrate
Chretien").


3. (SBU) The election began on April 17 and ended April 18. 57
candidates competed for 7 posts. Candidates were given five minutes
to speak before the plenary, a time limit that was often exceeded,
and votes were counted openly by a special technical committee set
up to oversee the elections.


4. (SBU) Comment: The election of Boshab, co-founder and Secretary
General of the PPRD (as was his predecessor Vital Kamerhe),is no
surprise. Some observers predicted that rifts within the AMP prior
to the election could jeopardize his candidacy, but the large
majority by which he won (329 of 484 votes cast) indicates that
deputies obeyed party guidance at voting time. Critics have stated
that payments for votes were circulated during the voting, an
accusation that cannot be discounted. The election and installation
of the new directorate ends the months-long drama surrounding the
succession of outgoing National Assembly president Vital Kamerhe,
who pledged his assistance to the incoming directorate in his
closing remarks. Boshab and other members of directorate have every
incentive to follow President Kabila's direction, if not out of
political conviction then because of the still fresh memory of
Kamerhe's dismissal. End Comment.

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