CONGO HELD ITS FIRST DEMOCRATIC ELECTION IN MORE THAN FOUR DECADES SUNDAY, A COLOSSAL DEMOCRATIC EXERCISE IN THIS GIGANTIC, MINERAL-RICH NATION IN THE HEART OF AFRICA. CONGO'S YOUNG PRESIDENT JOSEPH KABILA FACES DOZENS OF CONTENDERS, INCLUDING EX-REBEL LEADERS. KABILA IS THE FRONT-RUNNER IN A FIELD OF 33 HOPEFULS THAT INCLUDE TWO OF HIS FOUR VICE PRESIDENTS: JEAN-PIERRE BEMBA, A FORMER UGANDAN-BACKED REBEL WHO ONCE CONTROLLED NORTHEAST CONGO, AND AZARIAS RUBERWA, ANOTHER EX-REBEL. POLLING STATIONS OPENED LATE IN SEVERAL CITIES, INCLUDING BUNIA, THE CENTRAL DIAMOND CITY OF MBUJI MAYI AND THE CAPITAL, KINSHASA. SURROUNDED BY A DOZEN BODYGUARDS AND WEARING A BLUE PIN-STRIPPED SUIT, KABILA CAST HIS BALLOT AT A RAMSHACKLE COLONIAL-ERA SCHOOL WITH BROKEN WINDOWS. «WE'RE LOOKING FORWARD TO A FUTURE OF PEACE,» KABILA TOLD A MOB OF SHOUTING REPORTERS IN KINSHASA. «WE WANT TO CONSOLIDATE PEACE AND STABILITY IN THE COUNTRY.» «I WANT VICTORY FOR THE CONGOLESE PEOPLE,» HE SAID. THE PRESIDENTIAL BALLOTS ARE HUGE: SIX NEWSPAPER-BROADSHEET SIZED PAGES FILLED WITH DOZENS OF CANDIDATES' FACES, NAMES AND UNIQUE PARTY SYMBOLS, TO HELP CONGOLESE WHO CAN'T READ SELECT THEIR PREFERRED CANDIDATE, THE ASSOCIATED PRESS REPORTED. MORE THAN 9,000 CANDIDATES ARE ALSO RUNNING FOR 500 LEGISLATIVE SEATS. ABOUT 25 MILLION OF CONGO'S 58 MILLION PEOPLE ARE REGISTERED TO VOTE. THE HALF-BILLION DOLLAR (¤395,00) U.N.-SUPPORTED ENTERPRISE IS THE WORLD BODY'S BIGGEST EVER, SAFEGUARDED BY 17,600 U.N. TROOPS, THE LARGEST U.N. PEACEKEEPING FORCE IN THE WORLD. THE EUROPEAN UNION SENT A 1,000-STRONG CONTINGENT TO CONGO TO HELP SECURE THE VOTE, AND ANOTHER 1,000 TROOPS ARE ON STANDBY IN NEARBY GABON.
