President Felix Tshisekedi has enacted a law easing procedures for constitutional referendums in the Democratic Republic of Congo, intensifying opposition fears that he may seek a third term, AFP reported.
The change relaxes requirements for holding votes on constitutional issues, the agency said. The measure's formal announcement came in a late-night broadcast on national television, according to AFP.
Opposition parties formed the C64 platform in recent months. It opposes constitutional revisions, another Tshisekedi term and any postponement of the 2028 vote, AFP reported. Protests in June and September in Kinshasa and other cities were often marred by clashes, and security forces broke up gatherings, the agency said. The United Nations said at least one person was killed during June's protests in Kinshasa; the opposition said one of its supporters died in September.
The next election is scheduled for 2028, AFP reported. Tshisekedi took office in 2019 and must leave when his second five-year mandate ends under the current constitution.
The opposition remained divided after Tshisekedi's 2023 election landslide and struggled to draw large crowds to street protests, AFP reported. At a rare news conference in early May, Tshisekedi said he had no plan to seek another term, but added, “If people want me to have a third term, I will accept.” Main opposition parties declined his offer to convene a national dialogue, the agency said.
The referendum dispute is unfolding amid continued fighting in eastern Congo. AFP reported that Rwanda-backed M23 has seized extensive territory.
In October, former President Joseph Kabila became head of an eastern rebellion that had replaced M23 and adopted the name FRN, AFP reported. Kabila has promised to fight what he describes as tyrannical rule and said his campaign may involve force, AFP reported. Opposition parties have tried to distance themselves from him. The agency also cited concerns among diplomatic sources and observers that political opponents could be treated as backers of Kabila's rebellion.
