Congo's president announces plans for a new constitution. Opposition worried about term limit change

Congo’s President announced a nationalist committee will beryllium group up adjacent twelvemonth to draught a caller constitution for nan cardinal African country, raising interest among nan guidance complete imaginable altering of nan statesmanlike word limit

DAKAR, Senegal -- Congo's President announced a nationalist committee will beryllium group up adjacent twelvemonth to draught a caller constitution for nan cardinal African country, raising interest among nan guidance complete imaginable altering of nan statesmanlike word limit.

Felix Tshisekedi was reelected successful December pinch results questioned by nan guidance and has spent overmuch of his clip successful agency trying to summation legitimacy aft a disputed 2018 predetermination while struggling to put an extremity to nan armed conflict successful nan country’s east to nan disgruntlement of many.

“Our constitution is not good,” Tshisekedi said Wednesday during an charismatic sojourn to Kisangani, nan superior of Tshopo Province successful nan country's northeast. “It was drafted overseas and by foreigners,” he added, referring to nan 2003 bid statement signed successful South Africa that put an extremity to a deadly civilian warfare and group up a authorities of nationalist unity.

Congo’s existent constitution was drafted successful nan state and adopted by referendum successful 2006. It is nan country’s sixth constitution since gaining independency from Belgium successful 1960.

Tshisekedi has criticized nan existent constitution respective times successful caller months, saying it was “outdated." Opposition groups person expressed interest that nan president whitethorn alteration nan 2 five-year statesmanlike position to stay successful power.

On Wednesday, Tshisekedi slammed what he said was nan slow decision-making process — it often takes months aft elections earlier a authorities is formed — and nan tensions betwixt governors and nan provincial assemblies arsenic reasons to draught a caller constitution. He besides said that changing nan statesmanlike word limit was up to nan group to decide, not nan president.

He didn’t stock specifications connected really nan members of nan committee would beryllium chosen.

One of nan main guidance parties, Together for nan Republic, condemned Tshisekedi's announcement.

“It is mendacious to declare that a constitution voted connected successful a referendum by nan Congolese, aft statement successful nan transitional parliament, is simply a constitution written by foreigners,” Hervé Diakiese, nan party's spokesperson posted connected societal level X. “This authorities seeks mendacious solutions to existent problems,” he added.

Fred Bauma, a quality authorities activistic and leader of nan societal justness statement The Struggle for Change, said Tshisekedi had sworn to observe and take sides nan constitution during his inauguration earlier this year.

“Today he poses arsenic nan first detractor of nan constitution, and this aft having violated it respective times,” he wrote connected X.

Experts opportunity Tshisekedi has nan powerfulness to telephone to alteration nan constitution but it will person to beryllium approved by 60% of nan parliament aliases walk by referendum pinch complete 50%.