US embassy cable - 04KINSHASA1940

C O N F I D E N T I A L KINSHASA 001940 
 
SIPDIS 
 
E.O. 12958: DECL: 10/19/2014 
TAGS: KDEM, PGOV, CG 
SUBJECT: ELECTION FUNDING BLOCKED: CIAT TO MEET WITH BEMBA 
 
REF: KINSHASA 1934 
 
Classified By: CDA TDougherty for reasons 1.4 b/d. 
 
1. (SBU) Summary.  CIAT members agreed to request a meeting 
with Vice President Bemba to discuss the Finance Ministry's 
refusal to release $3.6 million provided by the French to 
support election preparations.  A selected delegation of CIAT 
chiefs of mission will ask Bemba, who heads the transitional 
government's economics and finance commission, to unblock 
funds urgently needed by the Independent Electoral 
Commission.  End Summary. 
 
2.  (U) At its regular weekly meeting of October 14, CIAT 
discussed Vice President Bemba's request for arbitration 
regarding control of the parastatals (reftel), as well as 
preparations for local, parliamentary, and presidential 
elections.  The president of the Independent Electoral 
Commission, Abbe Apollinaire Malu Malu, briefed CIAT members 
on the work of his commission. 
 
3.  (C) Malu Malu indicated that the Commission's greatest 
immediate challenge is to set up offices outside of Kinshasa 
and to hire staff.   Unfortunately, he said, the Commission's 
work has come to a standstill since it has received no 
funding from the Finance Ministry.  No funds from the GDRC 
have been transferred, nor has funding provided by donor 
countries been released.   Malu Malu indicated that a letter 
from the head of state ordering funds to be released had been 
sent, but that the letter had "no effect."  (Note: Charge and 
polcounselor were told separately on October 14 by 
Ambassador-at-Large Kapangaa that such a letter had been 
sent.  Signed by President Kabila, it was sent directly to 
Vice President Kabila.) 
 
4.  (SBU) The French Ambassador underscored that $3.6 million 
has been transferred by his government for use by the 
Commission.  It has not been released by the Finance 
Ministry, however, and CIAT is therefore requesting 
clarification from Bemba. 
 
5.  (C) Comment:  It is unclear why the release of the French 
contribution has been blocked.  It seems likely that it has 
to do with a power play on Bemba's part at a time when he is 
calling upon CIAT to arbitrate in his favor on the control of 
parastatals.  Whatever the reason for the non-release of the 
funds, it is significantly slowing preparations for elections 
slated to take place in a matter of months.   End comment. 
DOUGHERTY