Demonstrations held across country against president’s proposed constitutional changes seeking third term.
Protests in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) have spurned violent clashes as police cracked down.
Police fired tear gas as hundreds of people protested in the capital Kinshasa on Tuesday against proposed constitutional changes that critics worry could allow President Felix Tshisekedi to seek a third term in power. The political unrest adds to DRC’s struggles as it faces a rapidly spreading Ebola outbreak and ongoing conflict in the east of the country.
At least 10 people were arrested during the confrontations, with demonstrations also taking place in the cities of Lubumbashi – a major mining centre in the southeast of the country – and Uvira, despite restrictions imposed by authorities.
The protests were part of a nationwide day of action called by the “C64” coalition, which was forged by opposition forces in a bid to defeat Tshisekedi’s attempt to change the constitution.
“Many of our activists were unfortunately and arbitrarily arrested,” said Mohamed Eyenga of the Envol opposition party, a senior figure in the C64 coalition, according to the AFP news agency.
“We were taken aback by the large deployment of the army and police to prevent this peaceful demonstration,” he said.
However, the provincial police commander, General Blaise Kilimbalimba, insisted that “peaceful” demonstrators had not been arrested.
Congo’s constitution currently limits presidential terms to two five-year increments.
DRC’s parliament adopted a bill in June allowing constitutional changes to be put to a referendum, and members of Tshisekedi’s coalition have backed changes that would allow him to remain in office.
Opposition parties and the powerful Catholic Church have condemned the proposal.
The unrest comes three weeks after Tshisekedi announced plans for a national dialogue, bringing together opposition parties, civil society groups and religious leaders.
However, the discussion would exclude the M23 and other rebel groups that control parts of eastern DRC. Fighting over the resource-rich region has persisted for decades, and flared up once more in 2024.
Kinshasa accuses Rwanda of supporting the M23 rebels – an allegation that Kigali denies. Key commitments under a precarious peace process remain unresolved.
Officials from the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) and Rwanda are due to reconvene in Geneva, Switzerland on September 16 and 17 for talks on the implementation of the 2025 Washington Accords.
The conflict has complicated the DRC’s bid to suppress the Ebola outbreak, which is now the world’s worst on record.
The disease has spread across conflict-plagued, remote eastern and northern regions, where armed groups have roamed for decades, the presence of the state is weak, and health infrastructure is largely lacking.
