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Incumbent Kabila Has the Lead in Congo
 KINSHASA, Congo (AP) - Incumbent President Joseph Kabila had the lead with more than 1 million votes counted, but the numbers were far from definitive, with election workers in dugout canoes still looking for ballots in the troubled tally.Some 20 million people - or 80 percent of Congo's 25 million registered voters - cast ballots in the July 30 presidential and legislative election. Kabila had 49 percent of the 1,669,073 ballots counted - just over 8 percent of the vote, according to the Electoral Commission. His main challenger, vice president and former rebel leader Jean-Pierre Bemba, had about 20 percent. The remaining votes were split among some of the 31 others on the presidential ballot. A preliminary countrywide tally was expected to be announced on Aug. 20, and a final tally on Aug. 31. With the field so crowded, no candidate was expected to win a majority in the initial round. If that is the case, a second round will be held between the top two vote getters, probably in October. Posted by: Steve White 2006-08-12 |
| http://www.rantburg.com/poparticle.php?ID=162684 |