The opposition platform C64 is expected to meet after security forces dispersed a protest in Kinshasa, an intervention that left one person dead and saw at least 10 people taken into custody. The disruption increases pressure on both the government and the opposition as debate intensifies over possible amendments to the Democratic Republic of Congo's constitution.
Hundreds of people set out on the march to oppose plans critics say would permit President Félix Tshisekedi to seek a third term. Clashes erupted soon after the demonstration began, and protesters did not reach Parliament before security forces moved to break up the rally.
Opposition figures reported a fatality. DRC authorities said a party member was found unconscious after the disturbances and later died at Olympic Hospital. Officials also detained at least 10 participants following the events in the capital.
The dispute centres on constitutional limits that currently bar presidents from serving more than two five-year terms. In June, parliament approved legislation to place a wider constitutional revision before voters in a referendum, and members of President Tshisekedi's coalition have signalled support for changes that opponents say could extend his time in office.
The protest and its violent dispersal sharpen the political choices ahead. C64 will now consider how to respond, including whether to press international actors for intervention. For the government, the immediate consequence is heightened scrutiny at home and abroad; for the opposition, the clash could both galvanise supporters and increase the risk of further crackdowns.
With the referendum process advancing and street mobilisation ongoing, Kinshasa faces a period of renewed instability. The next moves by the opposition platform, security services, and political allies in parliament will determine whether tensions de-escalate or escalate into broader confrontations.
