Upon his arrival Tuesday, November 26 in the province of Tanganyika where he is to attend the annual conference of governors, President Félix Tshisekedi gave a speech to the population, during which he once again mentioned a reform of the Constitution, with a referendum at stake.
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With our correspondent in Kinshasa, Paulina Zidi
“ It’s up to the people themselves to express themselves ”, said in Lingala Felix Tshisekedi about the future of the Constitution. “ I am not going to enter into a controversy, but leave the debate free between those who are for and those who are against. The last word will go to the people », he concluded, thus putting on the table the idea of a referendum.
This is the third time in a little over a month that the president has addressed this subject during a speech. Each time, his statements took place in the provinces. At the end of October, it was in Kisangani, in Tshopo, that he mentioned a possible constitutional revision. In mid-November, in Lubumbashi, in Katanga, he clarified his position, explaining that the envisaged reform did not concern a third term, but aimed to strengthen the protection of the country, which he considers insufficient in the current Constitution.
Also readA new Constitution in the DRC? For the opposition, Félix Tshisekedi has crossed the Rubicon
A commission and a mobilized opposition
In parallel with these speeches, a commission should be set up at the beginning of 2025 to examine possible options: change or revision of the Constitution. However, the latest statements by the president and members of his party, including Augustin Kabuyageneral secretary of the UDPS, speaking to RFI, indicate that the ruling camp seems to be leaning more and more towards a text which would be submitted to a referendum.
Meanwhile, the debate continues to agitate the opposition. This morning, Delly Sessanga, opponent, was in the streets of Kinshasa to demonstrate against the change of text.
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