The Democratic Republic of Congo President Felix Tshisekedi has announced plans to establish a commission to review the country’s constitution, potentially removing term limits as opposition parties kicked against the plan.
Tshisekedi’s decision to address the contentious issues of constitutional reform and presidential term limits risks pushing the mineral-rich nation into further political crisis and unrest.
Tshisekedi was sworn into office in January after a contested re-election in December for a second and final term.
On Wednesday he set out plans to look at revising the constitution, saying the current constitution, ratified by a referendum in 2005, does not align with the country’s current realities.
“You have heard about a potential change to the constitution, we should not be afraid that this subject will be addressed,” he told supporters in Kisangani, adding that he plans to set up a commission to start work on the issue next year.
“This story of two terms that the current constitution requires, the people must decide if they want us to change,” he said.
The president also suggested that those who disagreed with his decision were using the issue to divide the nation.
Meanwhile, opposition political leaders in Congo see the president’s move as a strategy to prolong his tenure, mirroring similar actions taken in other African countries like Guinea under former president Alpha Conde and Cameroon under President Paul Biya.
“By changing the rules of the game to stay in power, the current regime is only seeking to prolong its political survival to the detriment of the people’s legitimate aspirations for fair, transparent governance,” opposition leader Claudel Lubaya told Reuters.
Another opposition leader, Moise Katumbi, who was the runner-up in the disputed December election, told Reuters that the constitution will remain unchanged because the Congolese people approved it.
“Congo’s problem is bad governance, not the constitution,” Katumbi said.
