Opposition politicians in the Democratic Republic of the Congo have issued President Félix Tshisekedi an ultimatum after temporarily postponing the nationwide protests that were scheduled for July 22, 2026. They said the suspension is temporary and warned that demonstrations could resume if their demands are not addressed.
These politicians formed the C64 coalition with the aim of opposing President Félix Tshisekedi’s plan to amend the Constitution, a move they say is intended to allow him to serve more than two terms as President of the Democratic Republic of the Congo.
On July 22, they had planned to stage protests outside the Office of the President, demanding Tshisekedi’s resignation because they believe his plan to amend the Constitution amounts to betraying the nation.
As preparations for the protests intensified, Tshisekedi invited representatives of churches and religious organizations to a meeting on July 17 to discuss ways of easing the growing political tensions in the country.
After the meeting, the Presidency of the DRC announced that Tshisekedi would launch an inclusive national dialogue bringing together Congolese from all sectors of society.
Tshisekedi tasked church and religious leaders with engaging members of the C64 coalition and persuading them to call off the planned protests and instead participate in the inclusive dialogue.
The following day, the religious leaders met with the opposition politicians, and on July 20 the coalition decided to postpone the protests. However, they stressed that this did not mean they had abandoned their commitment to defending the Constitution.
The opposition leaders, including Martin Fayulu, Delly Sesanga, and Jean-Marc Kabund, warned Tshisekedi against provoking further tensions by continuing to pursue plans to amend the Constitution.
They stated, “C64 has taken this decision out of respect for and confidence in the leaders of churches and religious organizations. However, it warns the government against any provocative actions through new measures aimed at advancing the constitutional amendment agenda, particularly the implementation of the referendum law.”
The coalition said it would remain vigilant and, should Tshisekedi revive his plan to amend the Constitution, it would mobilize again and organize large-scale protests demanding that he step down from power, as originally planned.
C64 called on Tshisekedi to officially launch the inclusive national dialogue no later than August 15, 2026. It warned that if he fails to do so, he will bear full political responsibility for the consequences, as the nationwide protest campaign will immediately resume.
