DRC: Partial data shows Bemba leads in elections

Doubting the “impartiality” of the independent electoral commission (CEI), the coalition ‘Union for the Nation’ (UFN) said that outgoing vice-president Jean-Pierre Bemba leads the vote count with 52 percdnt of the preferences.

This contrasts with all other partial results that show a clear lead by the head of state Joseph Kabila with 60 percent of the votes, as some 90 percent of the ballots have been counted.

Bemba’s coalition said it “it does not accept an electoral result that aims to steal victory from the Congolese people”.

Bemba’s coalition also said that CEI wants to lead the people into believing that Kabila is winning the presidential runoff elections” of last October 29.

It seems, however, that the document has not been signed by any member of the Congolese Liberation Movement, Bemba’s rebel militia and political party since 2003.

There was also a polemic about statements from Cardinal Frederic Etsou from France. The archbishop of Kinshasa said that the partial result of the runoff “does not reflect reality, especially in remote areas”, hoping that there shall not be a resumption of violence.