DR Congo: Ban on 13 parties reignites debate over political pluralism

Congolese Interior Minister Jacquemain Shabani announced on Thursday, October 15, a ban on the activities of 13 political parties, including the PPRD of former president Joseph Kabila. The measure also covers Matata Ponyo’s LGD, Seth Kikuni’s PISTE-E and Claudel Lubaya’s UDA, and is to be implemented by provincial governors. The decision comes after the creation in Goma of the Front for the Refoundation of the Nation, a politico-military movement led by Kabila. The ruling party welcomed the ban, while opposition figures see it as a restriction of political space.