While Congolese waited for the presidential election results last month, I heard several half-truths about Congo. The one that has stuck with me happens to be a favorite among Western diplomats. "Kinshasa is not Congo," they say, commenting on the east-west tension surrounding President Joseph Kabila's candidacy. Their premise is sound, but their conclusion is wrong. Kinshasa, which lies in the country's far west, is the gate to Congo, and whoever holds the key to the city controls national politics. With more than 7 million residents and 12 percent of voters, the capital is also the country's most ethnically integrated city -- a city state. Kabila, who benefited from popular support in the east, won 45 percent of the vote against 32 contenders in the July 30 election, but lost Kinshasa. His main challenger, Vice-President Jean-Pierre Bemba, received 20 percent of the vote, won in the west and enjoys substantial popularity in the capital. Bemba's success in Kinshasa spells trouble for Kabila when they face off in a runoff on October 29.
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