Joseph Kabila was declared president of the Democratic Republic of the Congo by the Independent Electoral Commission (CEI) with 58 percent of the votes to Bemba's 42 percent. Bemba claims that the elections were stolen from the people and is contesting the results in the courts. The Supreme Court has until the 30th of November to announce the official results. The new president will be sworn in on December 10, 2006 and serve a five-year term.
Click here to view beakdown of voting results!
Catholic Church Cries Foul
Cardinal Frédéric Etsou, Archbishop of Kinshasa claimed that just as in the first round of the votes, the Independent Electoral Commission (CEI) has fixed the votes in favor of Joseph Kabila. Cardinal Etsou made the claim in an interview with Radio France Internationale.
The Cardinal called upon the international community to cease its attempts to impose a leader on the Congo. Etsou's statements are of particular significance considering that the Catholic church was one of the key organizers of the elections and has consistently called for fair, free and transparent elections. The president of the CEI, Apollinaire Malumalu rejected the claims of fraud and cheating. However, Etsou says he has proof that Bemba won the elections but the results were fixed to keep Kabila in power.
Apparently, the church has documentation to demonstrate that the elections are being fixed in favor of Kabila. Should we get access to these documents, we will make them available.
Our sources on the ground have shared with us that the both the United Nations and European troops have begun to disarm Bemba's militia while leaving Kabila's security forces untouched. Both the church representatives and Bemba's coalition araccusingng the international community of trying to impose a leader on the people of the Congo by force if necessary.
Kabila On The Verge of Victory but Bemba’s Coalition and the Catholic Church Cry Foul
Kabila appears to be heading to victory in the presidential runoff with almost 95 percent of the votes counted, Kabila maintains a 60% to 40% lead over his rival Jean Pierre Bemba.
Bemba's Coalition, the Union for the Nation has rejected the results that have been issued by the Electoral Commission. Bemba has characterized the results as a product of systemic fraud and an attempt by the international community to steal the elections from the Congolese people. These sentiments have been echoed by Congo's top Roman Catholic cleric, Cardinal Frederic Etsou, who charged that the results being published do not reflect the actual votes cast by the people.
It is clear that there is a political crisis in the making. Even if Kabila wins, which is highly likely. It would be shocking to see the Electoral Commission accept or agree with any of the claims of fraud made by Bemba. The question of legitimacy which has dogged this process from the outset, is still very much the central issue to be resolved. The international community has not fully grasped the fact that the overriding issue is the legitimacy of whatever government is put in place and not the holding of elections. The holding of elections that results in an illegitimate government in the eyes of the Congolese is doomed for failure and the Congolese population will bear the brunt of the consequences.
Bemba's Coalition, the Union for the Nation has rejected the results that have been issued by the Electoral Commission. Bemba has characterized the results as a product of systemic fraud and an attempt by the international community to steal the elections from the Congolese people. These sentiments have been echoed by Congo's top Roman Catholic cleric, Cardinal Frederic Etsou, who charged that the results being published do not reflect the actual votes cast by the people.
It is clear that there is a political crisis in the making. Even if Kabila wins, which is highly likely. It would be shocking to see the Electoral Commission accept or agree with any of the claims of fraud made by Bemba. The question of legitimacy which has dogged this process from the outset, is still very much the central issue to be resolved. The international community has not fully grasped the fact that the overriding issue is the legitimacy of whatever government is put in place and not the holding of elections. The holding of elections that results in an illegitimate government in the eyes of the Congolese is doomed for failure and the Congolese population will bear the brunt of the consequences.
90 Percent of Partial Results Reported: One Million Votes Being Contested
The Independent Electoral Commission (CEI in French) reported that Joseph Kabila has 60 percent of the votes while Jean Pierre Bemba has 40 percent with 90 percent of the votes counted. The turnout rate thus far is 66 percent.
The CEI has reiterated that the results are not final and they are reviewing complaints of fraud submitted by Bemba's coalition. Apparently 1 million votes are in question (Click here to see report).
The situation is still tense in Kinshasa, however the fighting that broke out on Saturday and claimed four lives has ceased. It is critical for the CEI to verify the results to the satisfaction of both candidates. This would go a long way to avoiding further conflict and bolstering the legitimacy of the winner.
The CEI has reiterated that the results are not final and they are reviewing complaints of fraud submitted by Bemba's coalition. Apparently 1 million votes are in question (Click here to see report).
The situation is still tense in Kinshasa, however the fighting that broke out on Saturday and claimed four lives has ceased. It is critical for the CEI to verify the results to the satisfaction of both candidates. This would go a long way to avoiding further conflict and bolstering the legitimacy of the winner.
Kabila Strengthens Lead, Opposition Cries Fraud, Political Crisis Looms
With 65 percent of the vote counted Kabila leads Bemba in the quest for the presidency. Kabila has 60.67 percent of the vote and Bemba 39.33 percent with 112 of the country's 169 constituencies published by the Independent Electoral Commission. Turnout thus far is 67 percent.
Bemba's party and supporters have cried fraud. They maintain that based on the results that they collected at the polling stations there is no way that Kabila garnered the number of votes that is being reported by the CEI. Bemba's camp has already begun challenging the results. Those supporting Bemba are convinced that the international community will attempt to impose Kabila on the Congolese population at any cost. According to our sources in Kinshasa, it is widely believed that the votes in the east where Kabila gets overwhelming support are "cooked." Our sources clearly indicate that the center and west of the Congo will not accept the imposition of Kabila. Should this be true, the scope of the crisis facing Congo in the post vote count period may not solely be that of violent conflict between Kabila's and Bemba's forces but also a political crisis whereby the population will not see Kabila as their legitimate leader.
The dimension of what is transpiring in the Congo that most observers have yet to fully grasp is the political crisis that may take front stage. Most observers are focused on potential violent clashes between Kabila's and Bemba's security forces but the biggest challenge for Kabila and the international community maybe the flat rejection of a Kabila government by people in the center and west of the country, especially Kinshasa. As one of our sources note, the West is not aware of how Kabila is vehemently hated by the bulk of the Congolese population and will not submit to his leadership.
This morning some fighting broke out in Kinshasa, we will provide updates regularly to keep you abreast of not only what is appearing in the news but also provide dispatches and insights from the ground that may not be captured by reporters.
Bemba's party and supporters have cried fraud. They maintain that based on the results that they collected at the polling stations there is no way that Kabila garnered the number of votes that is being reported by the CEI. Bemba's camp has already begun challenging the results. Those supporting Bemba are convinced that the international community will attempt to impose Kabila on the Congolese population at any cost. According to our sources in Kinshasa, it is widely believed that the votes in the east where Kabila gets overwhelming support are "cooked." Our sources clearly indicate that the center and west of the Congo will not accept the imposition of Kabila. Should this be true, the scope of the crisis facing Congo in the post vote count period may not solely be that of violent conflict between Kabila's and Bemba's forces but also a political crisis whereby the population will not see Kabila as their legitimate leader.
The dimension of what is transpiring in the Congo that most observers have yet to fully grasp is the political crisis that may take front stage. Most observers are focused on potential violent clashes between Kabila's and Bemba's security forces but the biggest challenge for Kabila and the international community maybe the flat rejection of a Kabila government by people in the center and west of the country, especially Kinshasa. As one of our sources note, the West is not aware of how Kabila is vehemently hated by the bulk of the Congolese population and will not submit to his leadership.
This morning some fighting broke out in Kinshasa, we will provide updates regularly to keep you abreast of not only what is appearing in the news but also provide dispatches and insights from the ground that may not be captured by reporters.
CEI Releases More Results – Kabila and Bemba Meet Behind Closed Doors
The Independent Electoral Commission (CEI in French) released more results today. The latest results has Kabila still in the lead with 69.68 percent of the votes and Bemba with 30.32 based on 11.2 percent of the ballots counted. Although only 11 percent of the results have been released, the CEI has tabulated 71 percent of the votes thus far. The turnout remains lower than the first round at approximately 65 percent. It is still too early to tell who will win. All indications are that the final results will be close.
The CEI has taken extra precaution in releasing the results by allowing both candidates to verify the numbers before they are released. Both Kabila and Bemba have their own system of tabulation in place. Thus far there are no major disputes in the numbers that have been released by the CEI.
Also, today Kabila and Bemba met behind closed doors. Neither candidate commented on the meeting that took place at the presidential palace. Both men smiled and shook hands in front of the media (Click here to view footage (FRENCH). Both men have been under enormous pressure from other African leaders and the international community to make sure that the fighting that occurred after the announcement of the first round results in August does not occur this time. Later on Tuesday, they released a joint statement which called on "the whole population to remain calm, to respect the institutions and the laws of the republic and to refrain from acts of provocation or violence".
One interesting note about the meeting is that it occurred without the knowledge of Bemba's coalition the Union for the Nation. The members of the Union for the Nation were quite angry that such a meeting took place without any notice from Bemba. A meeting of the Union National scheduled for Wednesday morning was cancelled.
Partial Results Released
In an effort to break the tension in the Congo and cut down on the rumors about election results, the Independent Electoral Commission (CEI in French) began releasing partial results today. With 12 of 169 constituencies published, Joseph Kabila has 68.5 percent of the vote and Jean-Pierre Bemba, 31.5%. The early results come primarily from the east where Kabila receives the bulk of his support.
Click here to view published results by the CEI
Friends of the Congo of course does not subscribe to the so-called Swahili- Lingala divide in the Congo. With over 250 ethnic groups who are Bantu speaking such characterizations are facile proclamations by western media. Kabila's support in the East of the country is a result of his presiding over a peace process that brought about an official end (1,000 people are still dying each day because of conflict in the east) to the war that resulted in over 4 million Congolese dead. People in the east of the Congo are not voting for Kabila because he speaks Swahili, such analyses are reductionist and do a disservice to the complex political landscape that is the Congo.
Although less than one percent of the votes were released today, the CEI has counted over 60 percent of the votes and will publish new results each day. Stay tuned for more results.
Turn Out Lower Than First Round: Results Expected to be Close
Many observers and analysts have indicated that the turn out for the October 29th run-off elections was lower than the first round. Although, provincial elections took place on the same day, that did not boost the turn out to the levels of the first round. The lower turn out may be due to the fact that for the most part, the Congolese were not enamored with the two candidates. In fact, Congolese say choosing between Bemba and Kabila is tantamount to choosing between the plague and cholera or cancer and AIDS.
The Congolese people once again demonstrated the stark difference that exists between them and the leaders they had to choose from to be president. The dignified and peaceful manner in which the Congolese voted once again shows that the Congolese are a peace loving people who are unfortunately held hostage by renegade, violent leaders. Unfortunately, the hands of these violent leaders were strengthened by the manner in which the international community financed an electoral process that sidelined the democratic and grassroots forces in the country. The international community invested almost a half billion dollars in the election process.
The announcement of the final results is not expected until November 19, 2006. Bemba and Kabila signed an agreement stating that they will respect the results and not resort to violence to contest any disputes that may arise. They are expected to meet in public once the results are announced.
The Congolese people once again demonstrated the stark difference that exists between them and the leaders they had to choose from to be president. The dignified and peaceful manner in which the Congolese voted once again shows that the Congolese are a peace loving people who are unfortunately held hostage by renegade, violent leaders. Unfortunately, the hands of these violent leaders were strengthened by the manner in which the international community financed an electoral process that sidelined the democratic and grassroots forces in the country. The international community invested almost a half billion dollars in the election process.
The announcement of the final results is not expected until November 19, 2006. Bemba and Kabila signed an agreement stating that they will respect the results and not resort to violence to contest any disputes that may arise. They are expected to meet in public once the results are announced.
Dispatches from the Congo
Friends of the Congo delegation to observe the elections says things are very calm in Kinshasa. Although there was a lot of rain in the morning which slowed the opening of the polls things are moving briskly and voters are now steadily streaming to the polls.
In spite of the sporadic violence leading up to today's polls, voting is expected to be relatively peaceful. The crucial period will be between the end of voting and when the results are announced on November 19, 2006.
Our delegation has reported that the voting went well in Kinshasa. It did not appear that there was as large a turnout as occurred in the first round. The counting of the votes has begun.
We will provide more in depth reports as they come in from different parts of the country. Some observers are reporting that Congolese soldiers were preventing voters from going to the polls in the Ituri district (northeast of the Congo) unless they paid the soldiers in order to get access to the polls.
The Climate Stinks
"The climate stinks," a Western diplomat told Reuters in Kinshasa. "We are trying to bring democracy to a country through people who are not democrats." Source:MONUC
The above statement is one of the most prescient comments made by a Westerner concerning the entire election process. We have stated a number of times that the international community was backing Kabila and was prepared to crown him president until the Congolese opposition made that option untenable. The opposition did so by doing two things, one they made it clear that if Kabila passed in the first round the country would automatically become ungovernable; second they asked their supporters at the last hour before the July 30th elections to throw their support behind Bemba as a means of preventing Kabila from winning in the first round. Ironically, the Kabila Bemba run-off reflects an option backed primarily by Belgium and the United States during the Inter-Congolese Dialogue in South Africa in 2002. It was only after both the political opposition and the Rally for Congolese democracy rejected the Kabila-Bemba formula that the international community backed down.
So here we are days before the elections and to no one's surprise an air of violence pervades the country. The entire process has been structurally flawed mainly because it sidelined the democratic forces in the country and promoted the violent elements, responsible for the killing and suffering of the Congolese people.
The so-called debate that was to take place between Kabila and Bemba has been cancelled. Modeste Mutinga, president of the High Media Authority, the country's media watchdog announced today that the debate scheduled for October 26, would no longer take place. The coming days are of increasing concern. More than ever, the Congolese people need strong but peace-loving leadership to step up on their behalf and represent their interests even if it is outside of the fatally flawed electoral process.
The above statement is one of the most prescient comments made by a Westerner concerning the entire election process. We have stated a number of times that the international community was backing Kabila and was prepared to crown him president until the Congolese opposition made that option untenable. The opposition did so by doing two things, one they made it clear that if Kabila passed in the first round the country would automatically become ungovernable; second they asked their supporters at the last hour before the July 30th elections to throw their support behind Bemba as a means of preventing Kabila from winning in the first round. Ironically, the Kabila Bemba run-off reflects an option backed primarily by Belgium and the United States during the Inter-Congolese Dialogue in South Africa in 2002. It was only after both the political opposition and the Rally for Congolese democracy rejected the Kabila-Bemba formula that the international community backed down.
So here we are days before the elections and to no one's surprise an air of violence pervades the country. The entire process has been structurally flawed mainly because it sidelined the democratic forces in the country and promoted the violent elements, responsible for the killing and suffering of the Congolese people.
The so-called debate that was to take place between Kabila and Bemba has been cancelled. Modeste Mutinga, president of the High Media Authority, the country's media watchdog announced today that the debate scheduled for October 26, would no longer take place. The coming days are of increasing concern. More than ever, the Congolese people need strong but peace-loving leadership to step up on their behalf and represent their interests even if it is outside of the fatally flawed electoral process.