On Thursday, August 13, under intense pressure from the Article 64 Coalition (C64)—a united front of major opposition parties launched in May—President Félix Tshisekedi requested parliamentary reconsideration of the bill outlining conditions for a constitutional reform referendum.
The coalition has long argued that this proposal, championed by the ruling party since 2024, is a calculated move to pave the way for Tshisekedi’s potential third presidential term, which the 2006 Constitution explicitly prohibits.
Just one day earlier, in Kinshasa, Dieudonné Bolengetenge, Secretary-General of Ensemble pour la République and C64 spokesperson, delivered a blunt warning: the coalition would no longer accept delays. He vowed to escalate pressure through mass mobilizations unless the president took concrete steps toward genuine national dialogue.
The coalition had set Saturday, August 15, as a decisive moment to assess progress in political negotiations. They urged citizens to prepare for “mobilization and resistance” if the current referendum bill under parliamentary review was not immediately withdrawn.
Coalition cautiously acknowledges limited concessions
While the president’s move falls short of the coalition’s core demands, Prince Epenge, co-founder of C64, described it as “a small but meaningful step in the right direction”.
Tensions had already reached a boiling point when a planned Kinshasa march by C64—originally slated for July 22—was postponed after appeals from Catholic and Protestant churches urged political actors to prioritize dialogue over confrontation.
Civil society joins chorus of dissent
The opposition’s stance has gained significant traction beyond political circles. On August 10, 65 Congolese civil society organizations submitted a joint memorandum to the head of state and key national institutions, urging Tshisekedi to abandon his constitutional reform agenda. In their view, such a move would deepen political divisions, fuel social unrest, and divert critical resources from national priorities.
