Former President of the Democratic Republic of Congo, Joseph Kabila Kabange, has announced that his successor, Félix Tshisekedi, wants to change the constitution to remain in power indefinitely. He called on Congolese people to rise up and fight it.

Former President of the Democratic Republic of Congo, Joseph Kabila Kabange, has announced that his successor, Félix Tshisekedi, wants to change the constitution to remain in power indefinitely. He called on Congolese people to rise up and fight it.

In a statement released by the Reconstruire RDC coalition, Kabila said that these were no longer rumors or accusations. He confirmed that the Tshisekedi government has a plan to change the Constitution.

He said: “They want to establish a regime that has no boundaries and does not allow for democratic succession.” This reflects Kabila's concerns about the political direction in the DRC.

Kabila, who ruled the DRC for almost 20 years, between 2001 and 2019, recalled that he also changed the Constitution during his term. This allowed him to stay in power for two additional years than planned.

In 2019, when his supporters proposed changing the constitution to allow him to run for a third term, the Congolese and international community condemned the move. After two years in power, Kabila handed power to Tshisekedi.

Kabila is accused by Kinshasa and Washington of working with the M23 movement. In his statement, he said he had continued to warn against the mismanagement of his successor. “But I was not listened to,” he said.

He said that Article 64 of the Congolese Constitution allows any Congolese to prevent any person or group of people from exercising their authority in violation of the Constitution. “It is not just a right, it is a political duty,” he said.

The DRC National Assembly this week approved a bill that would set up a referendum to approve or reject constitutional amendments. President Tshisekedi says the law needs to be revised for the good of the country. He also said that if the people ask him to run for a third term, he will not refuse.

In kinyarwanda 

Mu itangazo rye ryasohowe n’ihuriro Reconstruire RDC, Kabila yavuze ko bitakiri ibihuha cyangwa ibirego. Yemeza ko ubutegetsi bwa Tshisekedi bufite gahunda yo guhindura Itegekonshinga.

Yagize ati: “Barashaka gushyiraho ubutegetsi butagira imbibi kandi butemera gusimburana muri demokarasi.” Ibi bigaragaza impungenge Kabila afite ku cyerekezo cya politiki muri RDC.

Kabila wategetse RDC imyaka hafi 20, hagati ya 2001 na 2019, yibutsa ko na we yahinduye Itegekonshinga ku gihe cye. Ibyo byatumye amara imyaka ibiri y’inyongera ku butegetsi itari iteganyijwe.

Mu 2019, ubwo abamushyigikiye bazanaga igitekerezo cyo guhindura Itegekonshinga ngo yiyamamarize manda ya gatatu, abanyecongo n’amahanga babyamaganye. Nyuma y’imyaka ibiri y’ubutegetsi, Kabila yahaye ubutegetsi Tshisekedi.

Kabila ashinjwa na Kinshasa na Washington gukorana n’umutwe wa M23. Mu itangazo rye yavuze ko yakomeje kuburira ku mitegekere mibi y’uwamusimbuye. Ati: “Ariko sinigeze numvwa.”

Yavuze ko ingingo ya 64 y’Itegekonshinga rya Congo yemerera umunyecongo wese kuburizamo umuntu wese cyangwa itsinda ry’abantu bategeka bahonyora Itegekonshinga. Ati: “Si uburenganzira gusa, ni inshingano za politiki.”

Inteko Ishingamategeko ya RDC muri iki cyumweru yemeje umushinga w’itegeko utegura kamarampaka yo kwemeza cyangwa kwanga ivugururwa ry’Itegekonshinga. Perezida Tshisekedi avuga ko iryo tegeko rikenewe kuvugururwa ku neza y’igihugu. Yemeje kandi ko abaturage nibamusaba kwiyamamariza manda ya gatatu atazabyanga.