The main opposition party in DR Congo has denied that its supporters were involved in Saturday's attack against the country's Senate president in Paris. "The Congolese in the diaspora always attack all those who work against their interests. They want change and they have always fought for institutionalization of democracy and constitutionalism in DR Congo," a UDPS official told a press conference on Monday in Kinshasa.

The head of the Democratic Republic of Congo's Senate is in a French hospital after being attacked on New Year's Eve in Paris. Seventy-six-year-old Leon Kengo wa Dondo was assaulted Saturday evening in the French capital.

The amendments were approved during a joint session of the upper and the lower house 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.

The Senate voted on Thursday on a bill that will amend the Constitution to limit future presidential elections to a single round of voting and increase presidential powers. Of 81 senators present during the vote, 71 voted for the bill, with 1 voting against and 9 abstaining. Opposition senators boycotted the vote.

Opposition MPs walked out in protest on Tuesday before a vote on a controversial bill that, if approved, will amend the Constitution to limit presidential elections to just one round of voting and increase presidential powers.

Upcoming elections and the 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. MPs and Senators will elect the seven members of the new Independent National Electoral Commission. They will also vote on the government's 2011 budget plan.

President Joseph Kabila signed into law on Wednesday a bill replacing the Independent Electoral Commission (IEC) with the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC). Like its predecessor, the INEC is tasked with the organization of the electoral process, including voter registration, maintaining the voter registry, counting of votes, and organization of referendums.

Prime Minister Adolphe Muzito announced on Thursday he was withdrawing the decrees he had signed conferring the status of town and municipalities to some parts of the country. He said he would instead establish a technical committee to propose changes.