DRC: C64 reports one death following march against third term
The opposition coalition C64 claims that one of its members died during the September 15 march in Kinshasa against a constitutional change that could allow Félix Tshisekedi a third term. No independent report has yet confirmed this death.
The Article 64 Coalition (C64) announced on Thursday, September 17, the death of Manassé Lomboto Bomengola, a member of the ADDCONGO party, during a demonstration held two days earlier in Kinshasa against a constitutional change that could allow President Félix Tshisekedi to seek a third term.
The coalition claims that this opposition figure was killed amid the violence that disrupted the march in the Limete district. However, no official or independent report has confirmed this death at this time. C64 also reported several serious injuries, without providing a consolidated figure.
The march on September 15 took place in Kinshasa and several other cities across the Democratic Republic of the Congo. In Kinshasa, police used tear gas and fired warning shots following clashes between opposition protesters and pro-government groups, according to Reuters and the Associated Press.
In a statement released after the mobilization, C64 accused members of the Force du progrès, which it claims are linked to the ruling UDPS party, of attacking the demonstrators. It also implicated elements of the security forces. These allegations have not been substantiated by an independent investigation.
The National Human Rights Commission reported observing individuals armed with machetes, sticks, and other blunt objects in Limete, who obstructed the progress of the march. The institution described these actions as violations of human rights.
Government spokesperson Patrick Muyaya dismissed the accusations against the authorities and condemned what he described as manipulation tactics by the opposition. He defended the right to protest while respecting public order and urged opposition members to join the national dialogue initiated by Félix Tshisekedi.
C64, which includes figures such as Martin Fayulu, Jean-Marc Kabund, Moïse Katumbi, Augustin Matata Ponyo, and Delly Sesanga, is calling for a judicial investigation into the violence of September 15. The coalition opposes any changes to the constitutional provisions governing the duration and number of presidential terms.
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