Today's local press in Kinshasa mainly focus on Mr. Leon Kengo Wa Dondo's inauguration as President of DRC Senate.

Mr. Leon Kengo Wa Dondo, whose election came as "a big surprise last Friday," was inaugurated as Chairman of the Upper Chamber of the Parliament.

Mr. Kengo's speech "has brushed aside all suspicions and set the records straight," says La Référence Plus.

Kengo Wa Dondo "did reiterate his position as independent and neutral...," says La Référence Plus, indicating, "President Kabila's supporters felt reassured by the speech."

Mr. Kengo further made it clear that "he was elected President of the Senate rather than Vice-President with definite right for succession," says Le Palmarès.

Le Potentiel sees "Kengo's speech as rallying, encouraging and full of political realism in so far as it brushes aside out of hand all the rumors spread by the prophets of the doom..."

La Tempête des Tropiques sees in Kengo's speech "an attempt to avert opening Pandora box while he was expected to make amends over his past mistakes...," noting "President Kabila's and Prime Minister Gizenga's absence at his inauguration."

Especially that « on 29 December, during the final inauguration of the national assembly, Joseph Kabila unable to attend, was represented by the prime minister Antoine Gizenga," recalls Le Palmarès.

Léon Kengo Wa Dondo, as far as concerned "did not make any reference, neither cited the names of Joseph Kabila Kabange nor Antoine Gizenga Fundji in his speech," reports La Tempête des Tropiques.

Double «... manifestations thus, of the distrustful atmosphere which already prevails between the government and the senate in general and its president in particular," notes La Tempête des Tropiques.

Yet, « when the first step is taken there is no going back, » advises and concludes Le Palmarès.