DRC Referendum Law: Salomon Kalonda Urges Senate to Reject the Bill

Senator Salomon Kalonda Della is urging his colleagues to reject the bill setting the conditions for holding a referendum in the DRC, which is due for a second reading in the Senate after the National Assembly adopted it again on October 23. He says the Constitutional Court’s 13 interpretive reservations do not change the substance of the bill and criticizes its passage without the opposition, which boycotted the debate. Kalonda fears that changing the 2006 Constitution could pave the way for a third presidential term for Félix-Antoine Tshisekedi, although the constitution limits presidents to two terms. He says the authorities should instead prioritize restoring peace in eastern DRC.