Hundreds of protesters gathered in the Democratic Republic of Congo’s capital Kinshasa on Monday to oppose a government-backed constitutional amendment that could allow President Felix Tshisekedi to seek a third term.
The demonstration, organised by the opposition C64 coalition, called on Tshisekedi to abandon proposed changes to the constitution that would extend the presidential mandate.
Tshisekedi was first elected in 2019 and won a second term in a disputed vote in December 2023. Under the current constitution, adopted in 2006, presidents are limited to two terms. Any amendment would require approval in a referendum.
Elections are not due until 2027, but tensions are already rising after the ruling-party-dominated parliament approved a proposal to revise the presidential term limit.
The opposition accuses the government of seeking to entrench Tshisekedi in power, while the presidency says reforms are needed to strengthen governance.
Monday’s rally follows a crackdown on a similar protest in July, when security forces dispersed demonstrators in Kinshasa. Several opposition supporters were injured in the clashes, and the United Nations said at least one person was killed.
In mid-July, the government announced plans to hold a national dialogue long demanded by the opposition, but has not specified its terms or timeline.
The constitutional debate comes as large parts of the country remain mired in conflict. In the east, the Rwanda-backed M23 rebel group seized swathes of territory last year, displacing hundreds of thousands of people and raising fears of a wider regional war. Kinshasa accuses Kigali of supporting the group, an allegation Rwanda denies.
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