Despite a city-wide shutdown declared by opposition parties, the government in Kinshasa insists it will proceed with its constitutional reform plan. Both sides are now claiming victory in this fresh political showdown.

Activities in the capital only gradually resumed in the afternoon following the opposition’s “dead city” protest, organised by the coalition of parties united under the banner of Article 64 (C64). The demonstration aimed to force President Félix Tshisekedi to abandon his constitutional reform agenda.

Capital city slows to a crawl amid tight security

In several districts of Kinshasa, residents chose to stay indoors. Between the threat of potential clashes and the heavy deployment of security forces, the city’s streets wore an unusually quiet face.

“I haven’t seen any students today. There’s not even any traffic. Schools are closed. We don’t want the Constitution changed. If we didn’t resist, we’d be forced to go to work. The people don’t want it”, shared one resident.

Another local echoed the sentiment, describing a city under movement restrictions:

“It’s tense here. There are soldiers and police everywhere, dispersing people. You can’t go out, no cars or motorbikes are moving. The situation is bad. Shops are closed”, they explained.

Opposition claims historic turnout

Following the day of protest, opposition leaders hailed what they described as a massively successful turnout. They announced plans for even larger mobilisations to block the constitutional reform.

Prince Epenge, spokesperson for the Lamuka coalition, framed the protest as a clear rejection of the president’s agenda.

“The people of Kinshasa responded at a rate of 99.9% to the opposition’s call. By staying home, they rejected Mr Félix Tshisekedi’s authoritarian attempt to change the Constitution to cling to power. He should heed the message sent by a population that chose to stay indoors”, he warned.

Government digs in heels on reform

An assessment the ruling camp strongly disputes. Officials from the Union for Democracy and Social Progress (UDPS) insist the opposition’s call failed to gain traction, arguing that daily life in the capital continued undisrupted.

Christian Lumu Lukusa, Vice-President of the UDPS Youth League, dismissed opposition claims:

“Despite attempts to incite violence by some opposition figures, the people did not follow their orders. I tell you, Kinshasa is fully operational”, he stated.

He reaffirmed his camp’s commitment to pushing ahead with the constitutional reform.

“The constitutional change project will continue because it meets a national need and reflects our commitment to modernising our institutions”, he insisted.

Referendum looms large in political tensions

According to Christian Lumu Lukusa, the proposed reform would require a referendum. This follows the National Assembly’s adoption on May 27 of the referendum bill.

The opposition, however, continues to denounce the initiative as unconstitutional. This deep divide between the government and its critics sets the stage for further political confrontations in the coming weeks.