The Democratic Republic of Congo’s opposition has condemned a new law enacted by President Félix Tshisekedi that opens the door to constitutional changes, accusing him of seeking to extend his hold on power.
“He openly declares that he wants to stay in power until someone strong enough can drive him out,” said Jean-Baptiste Kasekwa, an opposition politician and member of the C64 coalition, which brings together the country’s main opposition parties.
DR Congo President Felix Tshisekedi enacted a law that paves the way for constitutional change, condemned by the opposition as an attempt to cling to power.
The law, announced in an order read on national television overnight Tuesday to Wednesday, eases the rules around holding a referendum on constitutional matters in the Democratic Republic of Congo.
It comes two years ahead of the next scheduled elections, and with the reformed M23 armed group, now led by Tshisekedi’s predecessor Joseph Kabila, vowing to “put an end to tyranny” — by force if needed.
Tshisekedi has previously said he would accept a third term if voters wanted him to run again.
The opposition has vowed to resist any constitutional change, while former president Joseph Kabila and his armed movement have threatened to end what they call “tyranny”, by force if necessary.
“I think this is an announcement or a decision that does not help to ease tensions. On the contrary, it adds fuel to the fire of the government’s critics: the opposition and civil society groups who are challenging the plans to change the constitution. They will now have an argument to say, “Look, this is no longer just an intention, the current government really wants to cling to power.” That is why those in power are using other tools so that, at the right moment, they can bring out the referendum project and brandish it,” said Tresor Kibangula, a researcher at the Congolese institute Ebutel.
Tshisekedi, 63, has been in power since 2019 and under the current constitution has to step down at the end of his second five-year term at the end of 2028.
Opposition parties have joined forces in recent months to stand against his attempt to change the constitution and open the way for him to run for a third term.
Tshisekedi declared at a rare news conference in early May that he had not planned to seek a third term but said: “If people want me to have a third term, I will accept.”
The law that was enacted aims to “grant an unlimited number of terms” by unlocking certain articles of the constitution, Jean-Baptiste Kasekwa, a member of the newly formed C64 coalition bringing together the main opposition parties, told AFP.
Tshisekedi “openly declares that he wants to remain in power until someone strong enough can drive him out,” he added.
Opposition demonstrations against a “constitutional coup” were held in June and September in the capital, Kinshasa, and other cities.
Weakened and fragmented after Tshisekedi’s landslide victory in the 2023 election, the opposition has however struggled to rally large numbers of people in the streets.
The United Nations said at least one person had been killed at the protests in June in Kinshasa, while the opposition said one of its supporters was killed in September.
Tshisekedi’s offer to hold national dialogue has been rejected by the main opposition parties.
