In the Democratic Republic of the Congo, President Félix Tshisekedi has taken a strategic step by returning the referendum law to Parliament for a second review, following the Constitutional Court’s endorsement with certain caveats. This move comes just as the ultimatum issued by the opposition coalition Article 64 approaches its deadline on August 15.

The C64, along with over sixty civil society organizations, is demanding that the president abandon his constitutional reform plans by August 15 and reject the referendum law outright. They are also calling for an inclusive national dialogue, though no date has been set for such discussions as the deadline looms.

Tshisekedi’s tactical retreat amid mounting pressure

Despite earlier assumptions that the referendum law was already in effect due to the president’s failure to sign it within the 15-day constitutional window, Tshisekedi has opted to send the text back to Parliament. This decision aims to address the Constitutional Court’s observations and allow for further deliberation.

Professor Bob Kabamba, a political scientist at the University of Liège, interprets this as a tactical retreat by Tshisekedi. However, he cautions that this does not signal an end to the president’s efforts to secure a path to remain in power beyond 2028, the end of his second term.

C64 vows intensified action after August 15

The opposition coalition has welcomed Tshisekedi’s decision to revisit the referendum law in Parliament. Yet, they remain resolute in their stance and are preparing for a series of decisive actions once the August 15 deadline passes.

“By midnight on August 15, we will confirm that nothing has been done,” declared Franklin Tshiamala, Secretary-General of Leadership for Governance and Development (LGD), led by former Prime Minister Augustin Matata Ponyo. “We will unveil targeted operations through our C64 laboratory to restore reason to a regime that has stripped us of our freedoms and threatens to take away our national sovereignty.”

The standoff intensifies

From the government’s perspective, the referendum process is framed as a legitimate political and institutional initiative. The ultimatum from the C64 is dismissed as an attempt to dictate the president’s agenda.

Adolphe Amisi Makutano, a senior member of the Union for Democracy and Social Progress (UDPS), Tshisekedi’s party, emphasized this stance. “This ultimatum belongs to the C64. It may appeal to their supporters, but the Republic continues to function normally,” he asserted.

The political showdown remains unresolved, with the August 15 deadline marking a potential turning point in the Democratic Republic of the Congo’s political landscape.