A donnybrook pitting a 20-jeep-strong patroling police convoy against
Selembao Commune residents erupted in the morning of Wednesday,
December 9. Significantly, the disturbance took place on ex-Avenue du
24 Novembre, about 800 meters south of Makala Central Prison.
Residents, who woke up angered by CENI 48-hour postponement of the
announcement of the provisional results of the presidential election,
saw the police show of force as a blatant attempt at intimidation and
stormed the road--hurling insults and projectiles at the patrol. One
hothead threw an old tire at the open back of one of the jeeps where
sat riot cops who warded off the huge projectile with their plastic
shields. A dozen tear gas canisters were fired to disperse the crowd
of "informal sovereigns." The small riot abated by midday...
CENI couldn't annouce the provisional results Tuesday as planned as it
still had to receive the sworn affidavits ("procès-verbaux") of the
remaining "compilation centers" (among them, those of the polling
stations where votes were held 2 days after election day). CENI did
however publish the 5th installment of partial results, bringing the
total count of votes published at 89.29%. Kabila has widened his lead
by more than 3 million votes...
For the first time in this rocky process, UDPS didn't make a fuss
about CENI missing its deadline. But the real leadership UDPS has yet
to display is for Etienne Tshisekedi to call Kabila to thank him for a
well fought campaign and to make a concession speech...
2) Kudura Kasongo nabbeb with diplomatic passport at Beach Ngobila crossing
The rumor turns out to be true after all: there are moneyed Kinois
fleeing to Brazzaville ahead of the looming twister of presidential
results. On Wednesday, erstwhile Kabila spokesman and MP candidate
Kudura Kasongo was nabbed at Beach Ngobila crossing as he was about to
skip town. He was illegally carrying a diplomatic passport that had to
be returned when he was fired by the end of 2009. He was accompanied
by his wife, MP Pascaline Kudura. Kudura Kasongo, in his current
incarnation, is one of the most vocal foes of Kabila. He and MP
Pascaline Kudura own the TV channel CMZ, which, they claim, is being
hounded by Kabila's "henchmen" for thei couple's unwavering support
for Vital Kamerhe. CMZ has been off-air of late...
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