Today's local press mainly focus on the publication yesterday of the statistics about the registered candidates for the upcoming presidential and legislative elections by the Independent Electoral Commission known in French acronym as CEI..

Two days after the expiry of the deadline set for the registration of candidates for the presidential and legislative elections, the Independent Electoral Commission published yesterday statistics about the candidates registered. "Altogether 73 candidates were registered for the presidential elections and 8,650 candidates for the legislative," reports La Référence Plus. "The provisional list of candidates for the presidential election will be published today whilst that of the candidates for the legislative elections will be issued on 09 April," says L'Observateur.

The Independent Electoral Commission is "now reviewing candidates' files to select those who meet all the requirements," explains Le Palmarès. It is obvious that "the candidates having not paid the registration fees required will automatically be eliminated," highlights La Référence Plus, echoing Father Malu Malu, head of the CEI.

Le Palmarès says the Independent Electoral Commission will shortly publish the long-awaited definite electoral calendar with precise dates," says Le Potentiel.

Despite the Congolese people's expectation, "the electoral calendar will only be published concurrently with the final list of candidates for the legislative elections to be published by the Supreme Court on April 19, 2006," reports Le Phare.

Be that as it may, "a real test is awaiting the Independent Electoral Commission ahead to prove if it is effectively independent and if the consultations were free and transparent," says La Référence Plus.

In any case the "post-electoral period will be worse," warns Le Palmarès, echoing Valentin Mubake, UDPS senior member.

In another development, L'Observateur announces, "other criminals will be arrested in DRC". Investigations are ongoing in other parts of the DRC by the International Criminal Court "where crimes against humanity were committed," explains L'Observateur, echoing Luis Moreno, Chief Prosecutor of the International Criminal Court, during his visit to the DRC.