Daniel Finnan
28 November 2011
Voting at some polling stations started late on Monday in the Democratic Republic of Congo’s presidential elections. Despite assurances from the electoral commission RFI has learnt that some polling booths in Kinshasa and Lubumbashi have not opened on time. Incumbent president Joseph Kabila is tipped as the frontrunner against 10 rivals.
In Kinshasa’s south eastern Kimbanseke commune one polling station had around 300 people waiting outside. Voting had not started at 07:45 local time. Polling station were supposed to be open from 06:00.
In the centre of the city a source from an international observation mission told RFI that voting got underway at 07:15 with the electoral commission’s volunteers at the station the first to cast their vote.
At a centre in Barumbu in the north of Kinshasa voting had not begun at 07:00. An hour after it was due to get underway.
Kinshasa had been one of the areas of greatest concern for the country’s electoral commission. On Sunday the commission’s chief Daniel Ngoy Mulunda said he was “99 per cent” sure everything would be ready in time.
Provisional results are due on 6 December.
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