US embassy cable - 05KINSHASA1202

C O N F I D E N T I A L KINSHASA 001202 
 
SIPDIS 
 
E.O. 12958: DECL: 07/25/2015 
TAGS: PGOV, KDEM, KPKO, PREL, CG 
SUBJECT: PRESIDENT REGISTERS TO VOTE IN KINSHASA - 
REGISTRATION BEGINS IN THE INTERIOR 
 
Classified By: Poloff Gons Nachman for Reasons 1.4 B and D 
 
1. (U) President Joseph Kabila registered to vote in Kinshasa 
July 24, the last regularly scheduled day for voter 
registration in the capital. Minister of Interior, Theophile 
Mbemba, a prominent member of the People's Party for 
Reconstruction and Democracy (PPRD) which supports Kabila, 
also registered in Kinshasa on the same day, as did some 
politicians from the Movement for the Liberation of Congo 
(MLC) and the Congolese Rally for Democracy (RCD). 
 
2. (C) The Independent Electoral Commission (CEI) extended 
voter registration in Kinshasa for an additional week until 
July 31. According to the CEI, 2,766,760 voters have 
registered in Kinshasa as of July 25, representing over 80% 
of the estimated voters in the capital. (Note: Although the 
CEI's stated reason for the extension was to give sufficient 
time to the population to register, the proximate cause of 
the decision was Union for Democracy and Social Progress 
(UDPS) leader Tshisekedi's demand that registration be 
continued to give his supporters time to register. They had 
been directed not to do so by Tshisekedi, who had been 
seeking some concessions from the transition government. End 
Note.) 
 
Registration Begins in Bas Congo and Orientale Province 
--------------------------------------------- ---------- 
 
3. (U) According to CEI officials, voter registration started 
in Matadi, Mbasangungu, Kisantu, Boma, and Tshela, Bas Congo 
Province, and in Kisangani, Buta, Isiro, and Bunia, Orientale 
Province, on July 25th as scheduled. Minister of Foreign 
Affairs Raymond Ramazani traveled to Kisangani to register, 
and Monsignor Laurent Monsengwo indicated he will also be 
registering in the province. The CEI hopes to register 
between three and four million voters in these two provinces 
over the next three to four weeks. 
 
Comment 
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4. (C) Kabila, whose strongest political base is in Katanga 
Province, had been expected to register there rather than in 
Kinshasa. His decision to register in the capital along with 
other prominent PPRD figures, reflects possible party concern 
over its electoral prospects in Kinshasa. CEI officials said 
the UDPS has started to encourage their supporters to 
register, although party leaders have yet to make any 
official announcements on this regard, and Tshisekedi himself 
has not yet registered. 
MEECE