Kabila and Bemba Face off in Second Round: The First Round of Voting in Presidential Elections in Democratic Republic of Congo (DR Congo) Failed to Produce an Outright Winner and So a Second Round of Polling Will Be Required. the Country, and Africa, Waits with Bated Breath. Report by Neil Ford

Ford, Neil, African Business

Although the incumbent, Joseph Kabila, held a large lead over his nearest rival and took 45% of the vote, he failed to secure an absolute majority and must now face a run-off in the presidential election.

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The publication of the results triggered violence in Kinshasa but it is hoped that the new round of campaigning will pass off peace-fully, as the Central African state struggles to re-establish itself as a viable and stable nation.

Kabila's opponent in the presidential run off will be Jean-Pierre Bemba, who serves as one of the country's vice-presidents in the current government of national unity and formerly led one of the factions in DR Congo's civil war.

Bemba secured 20% of the votes overall and proved the most popular candidate in most of western DR Congo, including around Kinshasa. Antoine Gizenga came third, with 13%, and won more votes than anyone else in provinces immediately to the east of Kinshasa. The other main candidates, Nzanga Mobutu and Oscar Kashala, secured 5% and 4% of the vote respectively. Turn-out was relatively healthy at 70%, in what was the country's first democratic election for 40 years.

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Some incidents of polling irregularities were uncovered and European Union observers revealed that some ballot boxes had been burnt in Kinshasa, but the international community believes that the result will …

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Publication information: Article title: Kabila and Bemba Face off in Second Round: The First Round of Voting in Presidential Elections in Democratic Republic of Congo (DR Congo) Failed to Produce an Outright Winner and So a Second Round of Polling Will Be Required. the Country, and Africa, Waits with Bated Breath. Report by Neil Ford. Contributors: Ford, Neil - Author. Magazine title: African Business. Issue: 324 Publication date: October 2006. Page number: 48+. © 2009 IC Publications Ltd. COPYRIGHT 2006 Gale Group.

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