You say tomato, I say "tomate"

DR Congo politicians are warned they should not have more than 25 bodyguards, as tension rises ahead of polls.

At first, I thought this story was a joke. I almost laughed out loud.

But it turns out that what they mean by "bodyguards" is more like "private armed militia."

A diplomat in Kinshasa was quoted as saying that he didn't believe the 18 brigades of 3500 Congolese soldiers would be employed in time for elections, and also stated that: "Each of the former belligerents has kept behind a substantial force, including weapons, just in case."

So basically he is alluding to potential chaos following the elections, what with a hodge podge of over 30 private regiments of troops, one for each presidential candidate, combined with 40,000 fighters, 20,000 of whom have not yet been trained, who were absorbed into the Congolese army, untold other Mai Mai fighters particularly in the eastern section of the country, and who knows who else, who may be clamoring for power and material support starting July 30.

Interesting.  On va voir.