Today's local press mainly focuses on the deadline date for the registration of candidates for the upcoming run-ups to presidential and parliamentary elections.

Three days away from the registration deadline, the Independent Electoral Commission in French acronym CEI has registered "3,043 candidates for the run-up to the parliamentary elections, including 533 independent candidates," reports Le Phare. More interestingly, "the number of candidates is higher than the required seats, under the article 115 of the electoral law, "says Le Potentiel. In Kinshasa, for example, "CEI has registered 275 candidates for the 58 vacant seats," indicates Le Phare. In the Bas Congo province, "the Independent Electoral Commission has registered 144 candidates for 24 seats," says Le Potentiel.

The figures are proof of "the enthusiasm shown by the Congolese people who have not voted for aeons," notes L'Avenir. Candidates need to know that "deciding to be candidate is one thing, and campaigning to persuade voters is another," highlights the paper, indicating, "many are called, but few are chosen...". Democracy rule dictates that "candidates must be ready to accept the results of the polls and congratulate the winners... For it will be a victory for the Congolese democracy," says L'Avenir.

48 candidates registered for the run-up to the presidential elections. RCD leader is expected to register this Sunday 02 April, "barring unforeseen circumstances," reports L'Observateur. Kengo wa Dondo, former Prime Minister under Mobutu's rule, for his part, has been "appointed candidate to represent the political platform known as Renaissance Plate-forme Electorale in the run-up to the presidential election," reports Le Potentiel.

"DRC's electoral process is irreversible," says L'Observateur, indicating that the American Under-Secretary for African Affairs has come to DRC to assure that "Georges Bush will back the electoral process."

The International Committee To Accompany the DRC Transition "has preached one thing and its opposite in a month period, and as a result, further made the situation perplex and plunged the political circle into uncertainty," says Le Phare. CIAT's declaration of 24 February 2006 recalled that "the elections should be held by 30 June 2006...A month latter, the same CIAT is referring to a possible prolongation the transition, inviting the transition's stakeholders to continue running the Sate affairs until the new institutions are effectively put in place after the elections," comments Le Phare.

Most preoccupying, DRC did not "get enough attention from the donor countries," reveals Le Potentiel, echoing Ross Mountain, UN Deputy Special Representative for the DRC. "Only third of the amount promised, US$ 681, was actually disbursed for DRC since February 2006 meeting," highlights Le Potentiel.