DR Congo's watershed polls end in peace

The war-ravaged Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC)'s first democratic general elections in more than four decades ended peacefully on Sunday afternoon, dispelling previous concerns of violence during the voting process.

The overall situation remained calm, and the polls were held orderly and peacefully with only sporadic violence reported throughout the country, according to sources with the election authority.

The average turnout was estimated to be around 60 percent, with some places as high as over 90 percent, noted the sources.

In the eastern part of Kinshasa, where opposition enjoys mass support, the situation also remained calm and there was no violence reported, according to a military observer with the UN peacekeeping force in the DRC.

The voting process officially started from 6:00 a.m. (0700 GMT) on Sunday. Voters queued outside polling stations to make choices among 33 presidential candidates. At the same time, voters cast ballot to choose 500 parliamentarians for the National Assembly from more than 9,700 candidates.

The polls were delayed in some areas due to late showing-up of international observers and party representatives who were supposed to monitor the polling process. But the delay hardly affected people's election moods.

Senior election officials from South Africa said in Kinshasa on Sunday that the elections were "well-organized" despite the delay of the opening time. The delay was not completely unexpected, considering the lack of experience for the DRC to hold such elections, said Pansy Tlakula, Chief Electoral Officer of South Africa's Independent Electoral Commission, adding that she considered the elections fairly "well-organized."

Morgan Kunga, a 40-year-old guard employed by the ministry of transportation, cast his ballot at a church-turned polling station near the Independent Electoral Commission in Kinshasa. He concluded the things he wanted to see the most after the elections as "security, justice, development and stability." Kunga said investors do not dare to come if security cannot be guaranteed.

Bantobueji Luse Celespin, an agent of the Independent Electoral Commission, shared Kunga's view, saying that he hoped, through the elections, his country would become a country "governed by law" so that it would attract foreign investment and develop.

A considerable amount of voters, like Sylvie Feruei, have no clear idea about whom to vote for. Feruei, who is jobless and in her 30s, said she wanted to vote despite having no idea about whom she should vote for. "Life is too hard, I just hope the elections could bring changes to it."

Some voters simply have too many choices. Fatuma, a stylishly- dressed law school undergraduate, said that she was in favor of two presidential candidates, and in the end, she chose the younger one. "He is more vigorous, and I think he can bring more change to the country."

The incumbent President Joseph Kabila voted in a polling station near the Nation Palace in Kinshasa at around 9 a.m. on Sunday, while his fierce competitor, Vice President Jean-Pierre Bemba, cast his ballot at 11 a.m. in another polling station nearby.

The big polling day was not a day to remember for the main opposition party leader Etienne Tshisekedi, who was left out by the landmark event. Tshisekedi refused to take part in the elections and has staged several boycotts before the elections.

The polling results are expected be known in about three weeks time. If no candidate gains over half of the ballot, a second round of voting will be held.

A 17,000-strong United Nations peacekeeping force is in the DRC to ensure security during the election period. It is also the world body's biggest mission.

The European Union also dispatched 1,100 peacekeepers, 200 of which are combat troops, to assist the DRC in the historic general elections.

The international community has donated 422 million U.S. dollars to assist the historic elections, with the European Union being the biggest contributor and more than 1,700 international observers have arrived in the country to monitor the voting and counting process to ensure transparency.

The DRC, with an area of 2.34 million sq km, is the third largest country in Africa. Though rich in natural resources, the former Belgian colony remains one of the poorest countries in the world due to continuous war and instability, especially in the eastern part of the country.

Source: Xinhua