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DRC protests grow as Kabila clings to power despite his term ending '20 dead' in DRC protests after president's term expires
(about 4 hours later)
Hundreds of protesters have clashed with security forces in the Democratic Republic of the Congo after the mandate of the president, Joseph Kabila, expired with no sign of the 45-year-old former guerrilla commander leaving power. Twenty people have been killed in confrontations between protesters and security forces in the Democratic Republic of the Congo, UN officials believe, hours after the end of the second five-year term of the president, Joseph Kabila.
In the capital, Kinshasa, police and soldiers fired live ammunition as opposition activists burned tyres, attacked an office of the ruling party and threw stones. Violence was also reported in the southern city of Lubumbashi. Opposition leaders called for demonstrations overnight after Kabila refused to step down at midnight, and accused the 45-year-old former guerrilla commander of carrying out a coup d’état.On Tuesday police and soldiers fired live ammunition in the capital, Kinshasa, as opposition activists burned tyres, threw stones and attacked an office of the ruling party. Violence was also reported in the southern city of Lubumbashi.
The United Nations peacekeeping mission in the DRC has deployed patrols in Kinshasa and elsewhere in an effort to head off any escalation. There are widespread concerns that the political crisis could degenerate, possibly leading to civil war. In a video message released overnight, the senior opposition leader Etienne Tshikedi called on Congolese people to peacefully resist an “illegal, illegitimate leader” who he said had committed treason by holding on to office.
In a video message released overnight, the senior opposition leader Etienne Tshisekedi called on Congolese people to peacefully resist an “illegal, illegitimate leader”. He said Kabila had committed treason by holding on to office by what he called a coup d’état. Protests expected on Monday were quelled by a massive security presence, the restriction of internet access and a wave of arrests. Human rights campaigners said about 110 people had been detained across the DRC in the four days before Kabila’s mandate expired. Up to another 100 are thought to have been arrested in the last 24 hours.
Barnabé Kikaya, the president’s chief diplomatic adviser, said: “The government … is committed to ensuring peace, order and respect for the law throughout the country. It is a challenging moment.” Outside one police station in the Njili neighbourhood of Kinshasa, about 20 young men were under guard on a concrete platform, hands tied behind their back.
Expected protests on Monday were quelled by a massive security presence, the restriction of internet access and a wave of arrests. Human rights campaigners said around 160 people had been detained across the DRC in the four days before Kabila’s mandate expired. At a nearby hospital, staff reported a death and two injuries in the morning’s violence. The full death toll from the violence is very difficult to ascertain: medical staff are under instructions not to disclose information, and security forces routinely dispose of bodies secretly, local human rights officials and activists say.
More were held overnight as security forces moved through neighbourhoods known to be loyal to the opposition in Kinshasa and other cities. José Maria Aranaz, a representative of the UN human rights office in Kinshasa, told Reuters: “On the issue of deaths, it looks bad. We are reviewing allegations of up to 20 civilians killed, but [the information] is pretty solid.”
“The soldiers came and were going from house to house picking people up,” a resident in the Matete area of Kinshasa told the Guardian. Most of the arrests occurred overnight as security forces moved through neighbourhoods known to be opposition strongholds. “The soldiers came and were going from house to house picking people up,” one resident in the Matete district of Kinshasa told the Guardian.
In nearby streets, young men lit tyres before being chased away by police, and scattered shots rang out. Elsewhere in the neighbourhood, police and heavily armed soldiers confronted protesters across burning barricades. In nearby streets, young men burned tyres before being chased away by police, and scattered shots rang out. Police and heavily armed soldiers confronted protesters across burning barricades, and the district headquarters of Kabila’s political party was set on fire by a crowd, prompting a barrage of teargas.
“We are going to protest until the last possible moment. We are proud of our country. We want power for the people, of the people,” said François, a 27-year-old teacher in Matete. Roads were empty across Kinshasa, which appeared to be shut down for a second consecutive day. Thousands of troops and dozens of armoured vehicles were deployed at strategic points. There were similar scenes elsewhere across the country.
Roads were empty across Kinshasa, which appeared entirely shut down for the second consecutive day. Troops and armoured vehicles were deployed at strategic points. There were similar scenes elsewhere across the country of 70 million people. Ministers and supporters of Kabila say logistical and financial problems mean fresh elections cannot be held until 2018. Until then, Kabila – who has completed two terms in power and is prevented by the constitution from running for a third – has a constitutional duty to remain in office, they claim.
Kabila took power in 2001 and has served two five-year terms after elections in 2006 and 2011. The constitution does not allow for a third term, and critics accuse the president of seeking to hold on to power indefinitely. Sami Badibanga, the new prime minister, called for calm and asked security forces to show “discipline and restraint”. In September more than 60 people died when security forces opened fire on an opposition march.
Tshisekedi stopped short of calling for mass demonstrations – which would almost certainly result in significant bloodshed – and said he would respect the “timetable decided by the bishops”. “We will work in a spirit of frank cooperation with the international community to face the social and economic challenges and arrive at transparent and credible elections,” Badibanga said.
Talks between the government and opposition factions brokered by the Catholic church are currently suspended but are due to restart later this week. A ban on gatherings of more than 10 people did not appear to apply to small convoys of pro-government supporters who took to the streets in the afternoon.
Tshisekedi said the crisis could be resolved by the creation of an interim government. However, though he has a loyal following on the streets, the opposition is fragmented. “Our president is a patriot. It is calm today. Most of the population is with Kabila,” said Ali Warial, 33, who organised one rally in the Njili neighbourhood.
Kabila’s supporters and ministers say he has no intention of clinging to office and promise elections will be held as soon as is practical. Protesters said they would intensify their efforts. “We are going to protest until the last possible moment. We are proud of our country. We want power for the people, of the people,” said François, a 27-year-old teacher in Matete.
“The constitution states that [the president] will remain … until his successor is chosen. The president has affirmed he will abide by the constitution and he will. We cannot allow our fragile peace to be thrown into doubt,” said Kikaya. Talks between the government and opposition factions brokered by the Catholic church are suspended and due to restart later this week.
He denied that Kabila wanted to change the constitution to allow a third term, as several other African leaders have done in recent years, and said logistical problems would delay the election until 2018 “in all probability”. Tshisekedi, the opposition leader, stopped short of calling for mass demonstrations – which would almost certainly result in significant bloodshed – and said he would respect the “timetable decided by the bishops”. Though he has a loyal following on the streets, the opposition is fragmented and faces a determined administration that is supported, for the moment, by a powerful security establishment.
“If we had wanted to change the constitution to allow a third term we would have already done it,” he said. The crisis has been building for many months. Negotiations and protests have intensified as the end of Kabila’s mandate approached. Washington and European capitals have sought to put pressure on Kabila to hold elections and have imposed sanctions on members of his close circle.
Over the weekend tens of thousands of armed police and paramilitaries were deployed on streets across the country. There is little doubt there is widespread discontent at Kabila’s rule. High inflation, the devaluation of local currency and flagging investment is causing deep economic hardship throughout the country, where two-thirds of the estimated 70 million population live on less than £1.50 every day.
In September more than 60 people died when security forces opened fire on an opposition march.
The most recent wave of arrests has targeted organisations such as Lucha and Filimbi favoured by young, educated opposition activists, as well as well-known veterans of opposition politics.
Friends and family of Gloria Sengha, 23, a lawyer and well-known member of Lucha, told local media that she had last been seen in Kinshasa three days ago. Her current whereabouts were unknown, they said.
The crisis has been building for months. Both negotiations and protests have intensified as the end of Kabila’s mandate approached. Washington and European capitals have sought to put pressure on Kabila to hold elections and have imposed sanctions on members of his close circle.
There is widespread popular discontent at Kabila’s rule. High inflation, the devaluation of the local currency and flagging investment is causing deep economic hardship throughout the country, where two-thirds of people live on less than £1.50 a day.
“It’s impossible to live. There are no jobs, there is no trade, and food is more and more expensive. We are surviving only by struggling every day,” said Mary, a 38-year-old housewife in Matete.“It’s impossible to live. There are no jobs, there is no trade, and food is more and more expensive. We are surviving only by struggling every day,” said Mary, a 38-year-old housewife in Matete.
Observers fear the crisis could plunge the DRC, which has never known a peaceful transfer of power since gaining independence from Belgium in 1960, into a prolonged period of damaging and possibly very violent instability. Observers fear the crisis could plunge DRC, which has never known a peaceful transfer of power since gaining independence from Belgium in 1960, into a prolonged period of instability.
At least five people died when a newly emerged armed group loosely connected to the opposition launched assaults overnight on government troops’ in North Kivu, in the restive east. Many fear a return to the civil wars that killed an estimated 5 million people between 1997 – when the dictator Mobutu Sese Seko was ousted after a 32-year rule – and 2003.
International aid officials in Kinshasa believe such violence will intensify over coming months, further destabilising the country. Supporters of Kabila insist he has no intention of clinging to office. Barnabé Kikaya, the president’s chief diplomatic adviser, denied there was any plan to change the constitution to allow a third term, as several other African leaders have done in recent years.
Many observers now fear a return to the brutal civil wars that killed an estimated 5 million people in the DRC between 1997, when the dictator Mobutu Sese Seko was ousted after a 32-year rule, and 2003. “If we had wanted to change the constitution to allow a third term, we would have already done it,” he said.