The Congo Election

The South African Mail & Guardian has solid coverage of tomorrow's elections in the Congo and the run-up to them. Coverage includes articles on how "Hope and fear dominate" in the DRC on the eve of voting, on election-related violence, and even deaths in recent days, and on Thabo Mbeki's belief that "Turning the DRC around is vital for Africa."

I want to be optimistic, I really do. But I cannot help but believe that the army will continue to be a problem, that those in power will want to maintain power, that the appeal of kleptocracy will overwhelm the desire for democracy, and that in many parts of the vast country, especially the eastern regions, chaos will prevail. But for the next few days, I will hold onto hope.