DRC readies for second round of elections

The EU has placed more peacekeepers in Congo's capital, Kinshasa

As calm returned to the DRC, all Congolese were told to prepare themselves for a second round of elections. The United Nations made the call specifically to all parties involved in the recent gun battle in the DRC.

Meanwhile, the office of President Joseph Kabila has told the SABC that he remains committed to the peace process and is ready to go into the second round with Jean Pierre Bemba, the Mouvement de libération du Congo (MLC) leader.

As the guns fell silent, after three days of intense gunfire, the city slowly returned to normality. Leaving behind a trail of destruction - buildings have hit, shops looted and morale is low. According to Kabila's office, the MLC provoked the situation when it abducted two of his guards and the generals acted without questions asked. But the two men are now talking. Kikaya bin Karubi, the presidential adviser, said: “President Kabila remains committed to the peace process and is preparing to go into the second round. In fact, he has already had two meetings with Bemba.”

Work as opponents, not enemeies UN urges
Bemba has yet to give his version of events. And while the UN condemns the events of the past three days, it says the two men must work as political opponents rather than enemies. William Swing, the special adviser to the UN secretary general, says: “We are working on getting the parties to negotiate. They have to understand that they now have to prepare for the second round and we all have to start working.”

But they will have a tough time – says commentators. Isaac Ngwenza, an independent analyst, says: “People voted peacefully, they accepted the results peacefully, but they chose to fight. I don't see how people are going to go out and vote for these two men.”

Diplomatic efforts to manage the tension have intensified. But questions are now being raised about role of both the UN and the EU observers are still asking why these well resourced groups failed to stop the fighting and allowed it to continue for three full days. Perhaps - they say - Africa can take away some valuable lessons from this experience.