Africa-Press. Thousands of people demonstrated in the cities of Goma and Bukavu in eastern Congo in protest against proposed constitutional amendments that could pave the way for President Felix Tshisekedi to run for a third term.
The cities of Goma and Bukavu have been under the control of the Alliance of Forces for Change/March 23 Movement (AFC/M23) since their rapid advance through North and South Kivu provinces last year.
In June, the Congolese parliament approved a bill allowing constitutional amendments to be put to a public referendum, a step that critics say could facilitate Tshisekedi’s bid for a third term.
The proposed constitutional reforms sparked protests led by the opposition in the capital Kinshasa on June 12, which were dispersed by security forces. Demonstrators held signs reading “No to constitutional change” and “No to the referendum and a third presidential term.”
Protesters also called on the United Nations to lift sanctions imposed this month on the leader of the Democratic Change Alliance/March 23 Movement, Cornel Nanga, and his group. The spokesperson for the Congolese government, Patrick Muyaya, accused the rebels of forcing residents to participate in the demonstrations in a post on social media.
Witnesses reported that the protests occurred under police supervision, despite a ban on gatherings aimed at curbing the spread of Ebola. Rebel leaders announced last month that their controlled areas were free of Ebola.
