US embassy cable - 05KINSHASA1665

UNCLAS KINSHASA 001665 
 
SIPDIS 
 
SENSITIVE 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: PGOV, KDEM, KPKO, PREL, CG 
SUBJECT: 15 MILLION VOTERS REGISTERED 
 
REF: KINSHASA 1621 
 
1. (SBU) Independent Electoral Commission (CEI) officials 
said they had registered 15 million voters as of October 4. 
This represents over fifty percent of the initial estimate of 
28 million potential voters nationwide. They noted the vast 
majority of voter registration centers have opened in all but 
the last two provinces to begin the registration process, 
Bandundu and Equateur (both of which began on September 25). 
In Orientale province 1041 out of 1069 planned centers opened 
for operations; in Katanga the figure is 1144 out of 1191; in 
Western Kasai 614 out of 636; in Eastern Kasai, 738 out of 
826; in North Kivu, 722 out of 792; in South Kivu, 511, out 
of 669; and in Maniema, 351 out of 450. In Bandundu the CEI 
has opened 121 out of 979 centers and in Equateur 125 out of 
965. CEI officials said they expect the voter registration 
process to end by mid-November and feel it is possible to 
register a significant majority of Congolese voters by that 
time. 
 
Good News Tempered by Tragedy 
----------------------------- 
 
2. (SBU) Progress in the voter registration process has been 
tempered by a CEI press statement announcing the capsizing of 
a boat October 1st in the Tshuapa River in Equateur province, 
carrying 100 passengers (94 policemen traveling to guard 
registration centers in Boende and 6 electoral staff). 
According to the statement, there are preliminary reports of 
10 dead and 9 missing, including 17 policemen and 2 electoral 
staff. The CEI believes the capsizing was the result of a 
fire on board; at this point, however, it is unclear what 
caused the fire. 
MEECE