President Opens National Dialogue Amid Third-Term Tensions, Excludes M23
Democratic Republic of Congo President Felix Tshisekedi has announced plans for a nationwide political dialogue aimed at easing growing tensions over proposed constitutional changes that could allow him to seek a third term.
The process is expected to begin with consultations across the country’s 26 provinces before moving to broader discussions in the capital, Kinshasa. Participants will include political parties, civil society organisations, religious and traditional leaders, businesses, academics, youth and women’s groups, as well as members of the Congolese diaspora.
However, the proposed talks will not include armed groups or organisations considered to be acting on behalf of foreign powers. The exclusion effectively rules out the Rwanda-backed AFC/M23 rebels, who control significant areas of eastern Congo.
The dialogue comes as debate over Tshisekedi’s political future intensifies. A bill adopted in June could pave the way for constitutional amendments to be put to a referendum, while supporters of the president have increasingly advocated reforms that would allow him to contest another election.
Congo’s constitution currently limits presidents to two five-year terms. Tshisekedi first took office in 2019 after winning the 2018 election and secured a second term in 2023, meaning his current mandate is due to end in 2028.
Opposition parties and the Catholic Church have criticised the proposed reforms, with opponents accusing the government of seeking to extend Tshisekedi’s time in office. An opposition demonstration in June was also violently dispersed.
Some opposition figures have called for a broader dialogue that would include M23 representatives and allies of former President Joseph Kabila. Tshisekedi’s decision to exclude armed groups could therefore become one of the major points of contention as consultations begin.
The planned talks will also take place against a difficult national backdrop, with eastern Congo still facing armed conflict and the country simultaneously dealing with a rapidly spreading Ebola outbreak.
Tshisekedi said the dialogue should be completed within three months, although specific dates and conditions for the consultations are yet to be announced. The process could become a crucial test of whether Congo can manage its political succession debate without further deepening existing divisions.
The proposed dialogue therefore places Tshisekedi at the centre of two competing pressures: calls for constitutional reform from his supporters and demands from opponents for safeguards against extending presidential power beyond the existing two-term limit.
