DRC protests erupt over proposed third-term constitutional change

Protests erupted across the Democratic Republic of Congo on Tuesday, September 15, 2026, as hundreds of people took to the streets to oppose proposed constitutional changes that critics say could allow President Félix Tshisekedi to seek a third term. The demonstrations, organized by the opposition C64 coalition, took place in the capital, Kinshasa, as well as in other major cities including Lubumbashi and Uvira. In Kinshasa, where the protest was authorized, clashes broke out between demonstrators and pro-government supporters. Police deployed tear gas and fired warning shots to disperse the crowd. Opposition figure Martin Fayulu, who was present at the protest, accused police of protecting members of a pro-government youth movement. "Félix Tshisekedi set a trap for us," he stated. The opposition claims at least one person died and at least 10 people were arrested. The ADD Congo party reported that a member was found unconscious after the clashes and later died at Olympic Hospital. However, accounts differed over the circumstances of the arrests.