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Drc bans gatherings amid ebola outbreak ahead of opposition protest

By nigerreport / June 30, 2026

drc bans gatherings amid ebola outbreak ahead of opposition protest

The Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) has prohibited large public gatherings in Kinshasa and three other provinces as a preventive measure against the spread of the Ebola virus. This precautionary step comes just days before an opposition-led demonstration scheduled for July 8 aimed at challenging President Félix Tshisekedi’s administration.

drc bans gatherings amid ebola outbreak ahead of opposition protest

The DRC’s Interior Minister, Jacquemain Shabani, issued a directive on June 27 instructing local authorities to halt “mass gatherings” to mitigate Ebola transmission risks. The 17th Ebola outbreak, declared on May 15, has claimed 360 lives and infected 1,274 people nationwide, with the northeastern provinces bearing the brunt of the epidemic. Despite Kinshasa’s population exceeding 17 million, no local transmission cases have been reported in the capital.

political tensions escalate amid constitutional reform concerns

The ban arrives amid escalating political unrest surrounding a proposed constitutional amendment that could enable President Tshisekedi to seek a third term, defying the current two-term limit. The bill, passed by a parliament dominated by the ruling party in mid-June, awaits presidential approval. Earlier this month, clashes erupted in Kinshasa during an opposition protest against the reform, resulting in injuries and at least one fatality, as reported by United Nations observers.

Opposition leaders remain undeterred, calling for nationwide demonstrations on July 8 to demand the president’s resignation. Minister Shabani has condemned the planned protest as a “high treason act,” intensifying the standoff between authorities and dissenting factions.

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