Clashes Erupt in Kinshasa During Opposition Rally Against Term Limit Bill

Violent clashes erupted Friday in Kinshasa during a rally against a proposed constitutional change that opponents say could allow President Félix Tshisekedi to seek a third term. The demonstration was organized by the opposition coalition C64. Police dispersed the crowd with tear gas after protesters clashed with pro-government supporters outside Parliament.

Martin Fayulu, runner-up in the 2018 presidential election, was injured. A video posted on his official Facebook page showed him with blood visible around his eyes and on the collar of his white shirt as supporters helped him through the crowd. Tshisekedi, 62, has been in office since 2019 and is due to complete his second five-year term in 2028.

He has said he would be willing to seek a third term if approved by voters in a referendum. The Congolese Constitution bars any revision of presidential term limits. A bill under consideration in the National Assembly would allow the president to amend those provisions in the event of a “major dysfunction” that paralyzes state institutions, potentially following a referendum.

Congo’s main opposition parties joined forces in May under the banner of C64, or Coalition Article 64, to oppose the proposed changes. The coalition has called the changes a “serious threat” to the country’s stability. Congo is experiencing an Ebola outbreak and an escalation of the decades-long conflict with the Rwanda-backed M23 rebels, one of more than 100 armed groups vying for control in the eastern provinces.