Oppositionย partiesย inย theย Democraticย Republicย ofย theย Congoย areย postponingย aย protestย afterย Presidentย Felixย Tshisekediย announcedย theย launchย ofย aย nationalย dialogue.
The planned protest was organised by the C64 platform that brings together several opposition groups. Founded in May, it takes its name from Article 64 of the DRC’s constitution, which grants citizens the right to resist an unconstitutional seiz๐ฎre of power.
C64 has accused Tshisekedi of using a referendum on a new constitution to pave the way for a third presidential term, in ๐ฐhat the group has called a “constitutional coup.”
C64ย hadย calledย forย “aย majorย mobilisationย onย Julyย 22ย toย demandย hisย resignationย andย defendย theย constitution.
Protests had originally been planned for earlier in the month but C64 pushed back the date after the African Union invited them to take part in “consultations.”
Following mediation by the AU, the two sides agreed the dialogue will be led by religious organisations and must be conve๐งed before August 15th.
Noย protestsย areย plannedย inย theย meantime,ย C64ย said,ย unlessย theย governmentย resortsย toย whatย itย calledย “provocations,”ย suchย asย enactingย theย referendumย billย pavingย theย wayย forย aย constitutionalย amendment.
A May demonstration in Kinshasa organised by C64 ended in clashes between protesters and security forces, deepening t๐กe standoff between the government and the opposition.
ยฉ ๐๐๐ฌ๐ญ๐๐๐ซ๐ข๐๐๐ง๐ซ๐๐ฉ๐จ๐ซ๐ญ.๐๐จ๐ฆ/ ๐๐๐๐ข๐จ/ ๐๐
