US embassy cable - 05KINSHASA962

C O N F I D E N T I A L KINSHASA 000962 
 
SIPDIS 
 
E.O. 12958: DECL: 06/13/2015 
TAGS: PGOV, PINR, CG 
SUBJECT: RUBERWA STILL IN OFFICE, AND LOOKING TOWARD 
CAMPAIGNING 
 
 
Classified By: Ambassador Roger Meece.  Reason 1.4 (b/d). 
 
1. (C) In a wide-ranging private discussion at his residence 
June 11, Vice President Azarias Ruberwa told the Ambassador 
that recent RCD-Goma party meetings had proven difficult for 
him.  The sessions had been called because of internal 
RCD-Goma rules that office-holders should have a tenure of no 
more than two years.  Ruberwa reported that his own position 
as RCD-Goma President, expiring under this provision June 30, 
had been subject to long and intense discussion.  Ruberwa 
said it had been a difficult exercise for him, although in 
the end he was reconfirmed as party president. 
 
2. (C) Looking ahead, Ruberwa noted that finances will prove 
to be a major problem for RCD-Goma to provide for adequate 
election campaigning.  While President Kabila,s PPRD and 
Jean-Pierre Bemba,s MLC have considerable resources to draw 
on, including de facto state funds, RCD-Goma will have 
problems.  Ruberwa said they are looking around for sources 
of support, including any U.S. individuals or groups willing 
to provide support.   The Ambassador reaffirmed that the USG 
and USG-financed groups do not provide campaign finance or 
other partisan support to individual candidates or parties. 
 
3. (C) Ruberwa also noted that both President Kabila and Vice 
President Bemba had supported an earlier text of the new 
draft Constitution giving, in his view, too much power to the 
Presidency.  (Note: The text was modified before final 
adoption, providing for greater checks and balances within 
the overall government structure.  End note.)  Both Kabila 
and Bemba favored a strong Presidency, Ruberwa observed, 
because they both are convinced they can win. 
 
4. (C) Comment: The Ruberwa comments certainly suggest that 
he intends to be a Presidential candidate in coming 
elections, but his separate observations about the draft 
constitution indicate that he has no illusions about his 
ability to win.  Rather, his own candidacy would presumably 
be to advance overall RCD-Goma interests and help build 
support and protection for RCD interests in the post-election 
government.  Ruberwa also spoke about the need for political 
coalitions, further providing some sense of his and RCD-Goma 
thinking regarding elections.  Ruberwa,s points about the 
inequalities set up by the disparities in financial resources 
by various candidates are well-founded, albeit without any 
obvious solutions.  At least, however, his comments are 
further evidence that a good part of the DRC political class 
is thinking in terms of electoral politics, a welcome trend. 
End comment. 
MEECE