Today's local press focus on diverse issues, notably: the call for the cancellation of the constitutional referendum by those who advocated the "No", the projected electoral calendar and UDPS reaction to RCD's proposals for of an alliance.

Request for the cancellation of the constitutional referendum was filed by the supporters of No to the Supreme Court of Justice (CSJ) in
Kinshasa
yesterday, regrouped in a platform named RPN "Rasssemblement pour le Non." "The platform includes political, social, democratic and republican forces," says LE POTENTIEL. It also filed a complaint on "the violation of the referendum law which they blame on some transition's figures." They accuse the Independent Electoral Commission (CEI) of having violated the articles 2, 6, 19, 37 and 42 of the referendum law and the provision of the secret polls. They blame the CEI for violating the amended article 1 of the same law, for prolonging the vote for two days whilst the polls were scheduled for 18 December 2005. Other grievances: "the illegal dispensation that registered voters could vote in polling stations different from the one where they got registered on 19 December;" and finally the existence of various copies of the draft constitution.

RPN claims being denied equal right of access to official Medias with those who advocated the Yes, reports LE POTENTIEL. It accuses the major supporters of the "yes", notably the Head of State and the Vice-Presidents as well as some cabinet members and leaders of political parties of "campaigning in the official Medias until the polling date on 18 December 2005." The paper wonders whether the Supreme Court of Justice "will accept the request, which apparently goes against the general trend." The Court also has to react to the final results of the referendum, and address possible protests.

Fear and panic following the referendum, says L'AVENIR on its front page, accusing the "no" defenders of "making a bad type of scene; The defenders of the "No and boycott" did not intend to bring the Congolese people to vote; they rather meant to make themselves popular through the referendum campaign," says the paper.

For LE PHARE, the 2nd referendum confirms the victory of "No" since the population was quite unconcerned about the victory of "yes" and the vote did not generate any enthusiasm "such as the one witnessed when DRC won the African cup in 1968 and 1974; the election of prime minister (Etienne Tshisekedi, UDPS leader) by the Conference Nationale Souveraine CNS; when AFDL led by late President Laurent Désiré Kabila got to Kinshasa. LE PHARE further says, we rather witnessed "secret meetings."

A meeting on the upcoming elections is due on 1st February 2006, says the paper. The Independent Electoral Commission has published a projected calendar setting 7 February as the date for the filing of applications, 20th February as the date for the publication of the final list of candidates, and 11 March as the date for the publication of the electoral lists. The calendar also provides for the holding of the presidential and legislative elections on 9 April 2006, the proclamation of the provisional and final results, respectively on 17 and 27 April 2006. "Despite several criticisms around the electoral projections by the MPs who refer to it as unrealistic, CEI has decided 25 June 2006 as the date when the newly elected president will take up office," writes LE PALMARES.

The paper devotes its headline to an alleged alliance between the "Rassemblement Congolais pour la Démocratie (RCD)" led by Vice-President Azarias Ruberwa and the "Union pour la Démocratie et le Progrès Social (UDPS)". Upset, Tshisekedi says No to Ruberwa, writes the paper on its front page, echoing UDPS reaction expressed by its head of campaign, Gaston Dindo. "RCD does not interact with UDPS," adds the paper, indicating, "UDPS only interacts with CIAT (the International Committee to accompany the Transition) and MONUC (the United Nations Mission in the DRC) especially with respect to its comeback to the electoral process," reports the paper. Mr. Dindo makes it clear that the negotiations with the afore-mentioned International Institutions focus on the registration of a unique UDPS with its logo and flag (DRC Ministry of Interior registered more than one party with the name of UDPS) and the flaws in the electoral process, "voter identification and registration offices will be opened for those who never registered, such as the senior members and combatants of UDPS." Everything said by Ruberwa is just nonsense. If RCD wants to become UDPS allies in the electoral process, let them follow the official procedures set by the party," Mr. Dindo declared, recalling that Azarias Ruberwa was part of the transition's institutions and of the 1+4 scheme "which the people rate as equal to zero." Mr. Dindo calls on the Vice-President for Political, Defence and Security Affairs to "restrict himself to the transition assessment," instead of seeking to "clear his name by getting closer to UDPS." Mr. Gaston Dindo concluded: "Establishing an alliance with Ruberwa is the least of our concerns...," headlines LE POTENTIEL.

Through an article entitled Etienne Tshisekedi to enlighten opinion soon over the after-referendum, LA TEMPETE DES TROPIQUES says, Azarias Ruberwa and Etienne Tshisekedi "no longer share the same approach of "the political stakes of the all-inclusive agreement." The paper reveals a split within CIAT over UDPS issue: "some people are opposed to the organisation of elections without UDPS, calling for Etienne Tshisekedi's return to the process," while another "pro-PPRD led by President Joseph Kabila, chant the party's slogan: "Let the world say what it will."

In other news, LA REFERENCE PLUS announces the End of the robust offensive on Ugandan rebels. Congolese army has announced the fall of the last Ugandan rebels' stronghold (rebels of the Forces démocratiques alliées/Armée nationale de libération de l'Ouganda (ADF/NALU), based in
North Kivu
, after four-day fighting, backed by MONUC forces, says a release issued by AGENCE FRANCE PRESSE. As of 24 December 2005: "54 rebels were reported dead, 6 FARDC troops dead and 16 injured, and 1 MONUC peacekeeper dead and 4 injured." General Eugène Mbuy who led the operations from Goma declared, "The military operations over; only cordon-and-search operations will proceed with a view to flushing out the remaining elements and securing the zone."