DR Congo’s ruling party called on its members Friday to work towards a constitutional reform which the opposition fears could extend President Felix Tshisekedi’s term in power.
The current constitution “has demonstrated its limits in the exercise of public power,” Augustin Kabuya, secretary general of Tshisekedi’s party, the Union for Democracy and Social Progress, (UDPS) said in a circular posted on X.
Kabuya invited the party’s leaders to “mobilise and raise awareness” among its members about the “benefit of implementing the process of revising the constitution”.
Congolese opposition and pro-democracy activists have been warning for weeks against such efforts.
“Trying to change the constitution to stay in power is a red line,” Congolese citizen movement Struggle for Change (Lucha) said on X, reacting to the circular.
“The Congolese people have already said no and will mobilise to block the road to such an attempt.”
In recent months president Tshisekedi has repeatedly called the constitution “outdated” and called for “reforms”.
The population voted by referendum for the current constitution in 2006, with parts of it revised in 2011.
Under the current constitution a president is still limited to two five-year terms.
Changes to the Congolese constitution must be voted in by referendum or by 60 percent of the members of parliament.
“The presidential party maintains vagueness about its true intentions: does it want to proceed with a revision of the constitution or adopt a new text?” political analyst Christian Moleka told AFP.
In January 2015 protests broke out in the capital Kinshasa and other cities ag
DR Congo’s ruling party called on its members Friday to work towards a constitutional reform which the opposition fears could extend President Felix Tshisekedi’s term in power.
The current constitution “has demonstrated its limits in the exercise of public power,” Augustin Kabuya, secretary general of Tshisekedi’s party, the Union for Democracy and Social Progress, (UDPS) said in a circular posted on X.
Kabuya invited the party’s leaders to “mobilise and raise awareness” among its members about the “benefit of implementing the process of revising the constitution”.
Congolese opposition and pro-democracy activists have been warning for weeks against such efforts.
“Trying to change the constitution to stay in power is a red line,” Congolese citizen movement Struggle for Change (Lucha) said on X, reacting to the circular.
“The Congolese people have already said no and will mobilise to block the road to such an attempt.”
In recent months president Tshisekedi has repeatedly called the constitution “outdated” and called for “reforms”.
The population voted by referendum for the current constitution in 2006, with parts of it revised in 2011.
Under the current constitution a president is still limited to two five-year terms.
Changes to the Congolese constitution must be voted in by referendum or by 60 percent of the members of parliament.
“The presidential party maintains vagueness about its true intentions: does it want to proceed with a revision of the constitution or adopt a new text?” political analyst Christian Moleka told AFP.
In January 2015 protests broke out in the capital Kinshasa and other cities against a proposed electoral law, leading to deadly unrest.
