By: Mardiyyah Abubakar
The opposition in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) will stage demonstrations in Kinshasa and other cities on Wednesday, demanding President Félix Tshisekedi’s resignation. Opposition leaders accuse him of trying to stay in power by changing the constitution.
Political tensions have intensified more than two years before the country’s next presidential election. The DRC continues to face armed conflict and an Ebola outbreak in its eastern region.
Tshisekedi, 63, became president in 2019. His second and final five-year term under the current constitution is scheduled to end in late 2028.
At a rare press conference in May, Tshisekedi appeared to confirm speculation about seeking another term.
“If the people want me to have a third term, I will accept,” he said.
The controversy focuses on a bill that sets the framework for a referendum on constitutional amendments. Parliament, where Tshisekedi’s allies hold a large majority, approved the bill last month.
Research centre Ebuteli recently said Parliament rarely exercises meaningful oversight over the executive.
On Tuesday, during his Independence Day address, Tshisekedi announced that he had referred the bill to the Constitutional Court to review whether it complies with the constitution.
The Constitutional Court’s review is the final step before the president decides whether to sign the bill into law. However, critics have repeatedly questioned the court’s independence.
Ebuteli said the perceived politicisation of the Constitutional Court has continued to raise concerns about its ability to act independently.
The proposed constitutional changes have united opposition groups that struggled after Tshisekedi won the 2023 election with 73% of the vote.
In May, opposition parties launched the C64 coalition, named after Article 64 of the constitution, which allows citizens to resist any unconstitutional seizure of power.
Former presidential candidate Moïse Katumbi, a businessman and former governor of Katanga Province, is one of the coalition’s leading figures despite living in exile.
Other prominent members include former minister Delly Sesanga and opposition leader Martin Fayulu, who also contested the 2023 election and still claims he won the disputed 2018 presidential vote.
“History will be unforgiving toward those who chose ambitions of power over the defence of the nation,” Sesanga said.
“We will not give in. We are ready to do whatever it takes for the good of the nation,” Fayulu added.
Sesanga and Fayulu suffered injuries during a June 12 protest in Kinshasa against what the opposition called a “constitutional coup.” Clashes broke out among government supporters, opposition protesters and police.
The United Nations said at least one protester died during the violence.
Political analyst Trésor Kibangula said resistance to constitutional amendments could help the opposition rebuild public support and strengthen its political influence.
The opposition hopes to repeat the events of 2015, when public protests and international pressure forced former President Joseph Kabila to abandon plans to extend his rule beyond the constitutional limit.
Despite the growing political dispute, public participation remains low. Only 43% of registered voters cast ballots in the 2023 election.
Observers say many Congolese distrust political leaders and focus instead on meeting daily needs in a country rich in minerals but where about two-thirds of the population lives below the poverty line.
The country’s influential Catholic bishops recently urged Tshisekedi to honour his constitutional oath and respect the rule of law.
The bishops also called on clergy to encourage citizens to resist manipulation and oppose any constitutional changes through legal and peaceful means.
The Catholic Church has long played an influential role in Congolese public life, especially in education and national affairs where state institutions remain weak.
Meanwhile, the government has banned large public gatherings in four provinces, including Kinshasa, because of an Ebola outbreak in the country’s northeast.
Authorities have not confirmed whether Wednesday’s opposition march will fall under the restrictions.
