Jean-Pierre Bemba: 273,719 – 31.93%
Oscar Kashala: 152,382 – 17.78%
Antoine Gizenga: 126,317 – 14.74%
Joseph Kabila: 97,911 – 11.42%

Politics: Mirroring the larger west-east split in the country, Bemba received more votes in this western region, while Kabila prevailed in the east. Both Oscar Kashala, a recent returnee from the U.S., and Antoine Gizenga received more votes than Kabila.

Natural Resources: The two Kasais — Occidental and Oriental — are home to the Congo’s vast deposits of diamonds, an export valued at $870 million in 2005. Though many of the local toil in diamond mines, few make a substantial living.