Polls opened Monday in the Democratic Republic of the Congo for presidential and parliamentary elections. Early voting started peacefully and slowly, with trickles of Congolese lining up to cast their ballot, amid some logistical problems, according to a report of the German Press Agency "DPA". The Election Commission, known as CENI, pledged that all eligible citizens will be able to exercise their right to vote. Polls will stay open until 5pm (1600 GMT), though there were some indications certain stations might close later. President Joseph Kabila, 40, is expected to beat his 10 contenders for the country's top post, although the opposition has been campaigning extensively. His main opponent is 79-year-old, Etienne Tshisekedi, a veteran politician, DPA reported. If re-elected, Kabila will have another five years at the helm. More than 18,500 candidates are vying for the 500 parliamentary seats up for grabs. The central African nation of 71 million people, with about 32 million eligible voters, will vote at more than 62,000 polling stations. Some 19,000 UN peacekeepers remain in the country - which became independent from Belgium in 1960 - and are helping police maintain order.
