Congo crisis as opposition protests fail to sway government

Kinshasa’s streets remained largely deserted on Wednesday afternoon as the capital of the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) emerged from a tense “ghost town” strike called by opposition parties. The protest, organized by the Coalition Article 64, aimed to pressure President Félix Tshisekedi into abandoning his constitutional reform agenda. While opposition leaders claim widespread public support, government officials insist the initiative had minimal impact and vow to push forward with the changes.

Capital locked down under military presence

Several neighborhoods in Kinshasa reported near-total shutdowns, with residents citing both fear of unrest and heavy security deployments as reasons to stay indoors. Public transport ground to a halt, schools remained closed, and businesses shuttered their doors in solidarity with the strike.

“I haven’t seen any students or traffic. The schools are closed. We don’t want the Constitution changed. If we didn’t resist, we’d have to go to work. The people don’t want this,” shared a local resident, reflecting the sentiment across the city.

“It’s tense here. There are soldiers and police everywhere breaking up gatherings. You can’t move freely—no cars, no motorbikes. The situation is grim. Shops are all closed,” added another resident, describing the restrictive atmosphere enforced by security forces.

Opposition declares strike a success despite government denial

Opposition leaders declared the protest a historic success, asserting that nearly all residents complied with the strike call. They framed the turnout as a clear rejection of Tshisekedi’s reform plans and announced plans for further escalation to block the constitutional changes.

Prince Epenge, spokesperson for the Lamuka coalition, emphasized the symbolic weight of the strike: “The people of Kinshasa responded at a rate of 99.9% to the opposition’s call. By staying home, they not only followed the opposition’s directive but also rejected President Tshisekedi’s authoritarian attempt to alter the Constitution for personal gain. He must heed the people’s message of disapproval.”

Government dismisses opposition claims, reaffirms reform drive

The ruling party, Union for Democracy and Social Progress (UDPS), countered these assertions, arguing that normalcy prevailed in Kinshasa despite opposition claims. Christian Lumu Lukusa, UDPS Youth League vice president, dismissed the strike’s impact, stating: “Despite attempts by some opposition leaders to incite violence, the people did not follow their orders. I assure you, Kinshasa is fully operational.”

Lukusa reaffirmed the government’s commitment to the constitutional reform, framing it as a national necessity: “The constitutional change project will proceed because it serves a national need and aligns with our goal of modernizing institutions,” he asserted.

Referendum proposal fuels political standoff

According to government sources, the proposed reforms will be put to a referendum, following the National Assembly’s adoption of the referendum bill on May 27. However, opposition figures continue to denounce the initiative, arguing it violates the current Constitution. The deepening divide between the government and opposition signals further political confrontations in the coming weeks.