By Enyichukwu Enemanna
Leaders of opposition political parties and civil society organizations on Saturday announced an alliance to stage a protest against constitutional changes they claim is aimed at ensuring President Felix Tshisekedi remains in power indefinitely.
Named ‘National Awakening’, the coalition will hold its first meeting in mid-December to pay tribute to the 2005 referendum which gave birth to the 2006 constitution.
They called attempts by Tshisekedi’s ruling coalition to change the constitution ‘high treason’.
Opposition leaders Martin Fayulu and Moïse Katumbi are also leading separate initiatives against the constitutional review project.
President Tshisekedi had during a speech in Kisangani on October 23, proposed steps to change the country’s constitution, including floating the idea of a change to presidential term limits.
Tshisekedi had previously pledged to “scrupulously respect constitutional obligations.”
In Kisangani, Tshisekedi described the current constitution as “outdated” and “not adapted to the country’s realities.”
He said he would set up a commission to draft a new constitution in 2025, though he indicated that whether to remove presidential term limits would be for the people to decide.
Government officials, including the media and communication minister, have publicly expressed support for a revision.
Under the 2006 constitution, established by the late President Joseph Kabila, article 220 forbids any modification of “the number and length of terms of office of the President.”
Tshisekedi was part of the political opposition that called on Kabila to respect the constitution, including on presidential terms.
In December last year, Tshisekedi won re-election with more than 70 percent of the vote for second and last constitutionally allowed term.
Tshisekedi first came to power in January 2019 after a disputed election that many observers said he had in fact lost.
