The main headlines in the newspapers in Kinshasa today are related to Thursday, 28 December 2006's elections for the newly elected National Assembly Bureau membership. The Lower House of Parliament has so far had a provisional Bureau.

In a story headlined "Vital Kamerhe slated to be elected President of the definitive Bureau of the Assembly," L'Avenir notes: "Enjoying the support of the head of state, the secretary-general of PPRD (Pro-Kabila People's Party for Reconstruction and Development) has submitted his candidacy for President of the National Assembly Bureau."

"Kamerhe: Potential President of the National Assembly," writes La Référence Plus, noting that his bid for the post is supported by Joseph Kabila's electoral coalition which comprises the Presidential Majority Alliance (AMP), Antoine Gizenga's Unified Lumumbist Party (PALU) and Mobutu Zanga's Union of Mobutist Democrats (UDEMO). Another "member of PPRD, Tshiongo Tshibinkubula wa Ntumba, a former Managing Director of the paragovernmental water distribution utility REGIDESO, is also running for the Assembly top job as an independent but has failed to rally support among his fellow MPs from Western Kasai province who are supporting Vital Kamerhe."

There is some "confusion within PPRD over the selection of a definitive National Assembly Bureau," notes La Tempête des Tropiques, referring to fellow party members "Tshiongo and Kamerhe battling each other for the Presidency" of the Assembly. "This rather bizarre situation implies there has been no prior debate and no primary elections within the PPRD, the leading party in the AMP coalition," the paper concludes.

Concurring, Le Palmarès says: "There is some confusion amongst the leadership of AMP" as revealed by "multiple PPRD candidates vying for the Presidency of the National Assembly." "The [PPRD] party will resolve this problem," adds Le Palmarès, citing Vital Kamerhe. "Tshiongo will not remain unpunished for defying [his party chief] Kamerhe's candidacy for President of the lower house of parliament," the paper anticipates.

"Kamerhe and Tshiongo in the race for the Presidency of the definitive Bureau of the National Assembly," writes Le Potentiel, noting that "at the closure of the time period for submission of candidatures for the Bureau of the National Assembly, 32 applications have been registered including 3 for the Presidency." Giving Tshiongo little chance of actually winning, the daily paper views his candidacy as "merely intended to play the game of democracy in order to favourably impress the outside world."

In other news, Le Phare announces "a forthcoming national population census", saying "the project, backed by the government, will be financed by UNFPA [United Nations Population Fund] and is estimated to cost 90 million US dollars".