DRC's 2nd Elections: Testing Democracy

 Pressure is on, tensions are high.. Democratic Republic of Congo's second elections since its traumatic civil war officially ended in 2003, began yesterday and have extended into today.  Eleven candidates are running in this year's Presidential elections, only the second election to be held since the war officially ended (to learn more about Congo's 1st and 2nd wars, second of which is known as The Great War of Africa, click here).  Incumbent President Joseph Kabila is widely expected to win another term because of the splintered opposition.  Etienne Tshisekedi is the leading opponent, at age 78, whose party has already claimed that these elections will not be fair due to logistical infrastructure nightmeres (how can ballot materials be delivered to some regions in time via long stretches of dirt roads, many undriveable, in a country one quarter the size of the U.S.?  They weren't.)  Also, some parts of South Kivu are reported to be inaccessable by election officials becauase it's just too dangerous.  This is perhaps the most profoundly affected region of the Congo, and they might not get their chance to be heard?

Logistical problems on Monday lead to keeping the polls open today.  Let's hope that the protests, reports of violence as well as tampered ballot papers don't escalate once the polls are closed and results come in (and people like Ben Affleck and Cindy McCain start counting the votes!?!).  How much really is at stake this (or any) election?  Do we put too much faith in the election process, and not enough attention on what happens in between elections?  What little progress has been made needs to continue and the focus will have to shift from this election as an 'event' to its outcome and results of the next leadership.  Whoever wins will face the same challenges, and the international community will hopefully keep a close eye on things, holding these elected officals accountable for their actions.

A few facts about these elections:

• More than 30 million registed voters (of ~70 million population)
• Results to be announced Dec. 6
• 11 Presidential candidates + 18,000 Parliamentary candidates (for 500 seats)
• 62,500 poll stations / 180,000 ballot boxes / 64 million ballot papers
• UN ran last elections and now current government is in charge this time
• No runoff allowed in this election