The Democratic Republic of Congo’s interim president, Joseph Kabila, has taken the lead in early results from last month’s landmark elections.
These results mainly come from the east. Ex-rebel leader Jean-Pierre Bemba is leading in results from the west, according to BBC Online, Wednesday.
A candidate must secure more than half of the total vote to avoid a run-off presidential election in October.
Despite outbreaks of violence in the build-up to the election, polling day passed without trouble.
Provisionally, Mr Kabila has taken almost 90% of the vote in North Kivu, Katanga and Maniema provinces.
In the west, including in the capital, Kinshasa, he is trailing behind Mr Bemba.
But the former rebel leader is by no means dominating the west, because votes are leaking away towards some of the other candidates.
So far western results give Mr Bemba just under 40% of the vote, and Mr Kabila 16%.
With results from only eight of 62 counting centres known, countrywide tallies may not be available for weeks.
