Unlike the Independent National Electoral Commission, which published the results of the presidential election showing why it says Joseph Kabila won and for everyone to see and scrutinize, Etienne Tshisekedi has so far provided no proof to support his claim of an outright victory. Yet, the longtime opposition leader has said, once again, that he now considers himself president.

The amendments were approved during a joint session of the upper and the lower houses of parliament. Out of 504 voters, 485 voted for the amendments, 8 voted against and 11 abstained. As had been the case when the amendments were considered in the National Assembly and the Senate, opposition MPs and Senators boycotted the vote.

Upcoming elections and the 2011 budget will be the main points on the agendas of the National Assembly and the Senate when they convene for the September session on Wednesday.

The Independent Electoral Commission says $712 million will be needed to organize presidential, parliamentary, and local elections until 2013.

Reacting to the mounting opposition against the timetable released by the Independent Electoral Commission on Monday, the head of the IEC said on Wednesday that all those opposed to the timetable can seek recourse before the Supreme Court.

The first round of presidential and parliamentary elections in the DRC will be held on November 27, 2011. The head of the Independent Electoral Commission (IEC), Apolinaire Malu Malu, released the schedule on Monday during a press conference in Kinshasa.

President Joseph Kabila signed into law on Wednesday a bill replacing the Independent Electoral Commission (IEC) with the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC).

Deputy Prime Minister Adolphe Lumanu said on Monday the government is committed to the plan laid out by the Independent Electoral Commission (IEC) for elections set to be held in 2011.