DR Congo: Ruling Party's UDPS Stages Show of Force in Kinshasa

Supporters of the ruling majority in the Democratic Republic of Congo staged a large demonstration in the capital, Kinshasa, to show their backing for President Felix Tshisekedi.

The march by militants of the UDPS-led coalition came one week after a mobilization organized by the opposition, setting up a visible contrast between the two camps as they seek to project public support.

A backdrop of constitutional debate

The demonstration's stated objective was to show the presidential camp's support for a proposed change to the constitution, a topic that has generated significant political debate in the DR Congo in recent months.

Constitutional changes affecting presidential term limits or governance structures have historically been a sensitive and often contentious issue across many African nations, and proposals of this kind frequently draw both strong support from a sitting government's base and strong opposition from rival political forces concerned about the concentration of power.

The back-to-back demonstrations by the ruling majority and the opposition illustrate the level of public mobilization both sides are willing to organize around the issue, suggesting the debate over the proposed constitutional change is likely to remain a significant point of political contention in the DR Congo in the coming period.

No timeline for a formal vote or further steps in the constitutional process was included in the initial report.