MONUC Press Review - 22 January 2007

The main headlines in Kinshasa's newspapers are devoted to Saturday's announcement of DR Congo's provisional national senatorial vote results.

Last Saturday, the DR Congo's Independent Electoral Commission (IEC) announced provisional national results of the senatorial vote held on Friday. "The coalition supporting President Joseph Kabila seems assured of [enjoying] a majority," writes Le Palmarès, commenting on the outcome of the vote held last Friday. The outcome shows "the pro-Kabila coalition with 58 senators, compared to 21 for Jean-Pierre Bemba's Union pour la Nation coalition," Forum des As notes.

Therefore, "it is someone from Kabila's camp who will be designated as President of the Senate," Le Palmarès anticipates. Forum des As agrees and adds that among those from the Kabila majority alliance running for the post are: "Yerodia Ndombasi [one of four Vice Presidents during the transitional government] and Leonard She Okitundu [Kabila's current Cabinet director]."

However, it is believed that "the leader of the Movement for Congo Liberation (MLC), [Bemba], may also be eyeing the position of Senate President," La Tempête des Tropiques says. Concurring with this view, Forum des As writes: "[Bemba's] Union for the Nation, after having lost his bid for the DRC's Presidency, would like to rebound within the constituent bodies.

This is especially so given that "the country's new Constitution provides that in the event of a vacancy [in the Office of President of the Republic] because of death, resignation or any other definitive incapacity, the President of the Senate temporarily assumes the power and duties of President of the Republic," La Tempête des Tropiques notes.

Seeking the Senate presidency would however "present a danger to the MLC leader [because], if elected to head the Senate, [Bemba] would automatically loose his opponent status," according to Forum des As. And yet, this paper writes, "If democracy is to function well in the DRC, there must be an organised opposition serving as a counterpower to the government in place."

Referring to the awaited nomination of the new government, Le Potentiel recalls that "the Congolese people have been waiting exactly 23 days now for [Prime Minister] Antoine Gizenga's government [to be announced]. And were "the wait [to continue much] longer, it would risk fuelling unpleasant speculations and generating worries [among the population]". Fortunately though, "the [new] government could be announced before Saturday...," Le Potentiel reports, citing a source that asked not to be named.