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Security Forces Disperse Kinshasa Protest Over Bill That Could Enable Third Term

Opposition says the proposed measure would open a legal route to remove presidential term limits, raising the risk of wider unrest.

Overview

  • A sit-in organized by the opposition Coalition Article 64 in Kinshasa on Friday was broken up by police after clashes with pro-government supporters outside the parliament building.
  • Prominent opposition leader Martin Fayulu was injured during the clashes and opposition sources say Delly Sesanga was shot in the leg, while authorities said officers moved in to restore order.
  • The contested National Assembly measure would let constitutional changes be put to a public referendum, which opponents say could be used to overturn the two-term presidential limit.
  • Local residents and opposition figures reported security forces firing tear gas and, they allege, live rounds and the presence of party-aligned militants, though those claims remain unconfirmed by officials.
  • The dispute raises fresh political risk for a country already facing an Ebola outbreak and fighting with M23 rebels, and it could prompt more protests, legal challenges or a hardening of security measures.