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Prominent Democratic Republic of Congo opposition leader Martin Fayulu has accused President Felix Tshisekedi of plotting to stay in power beyond his constitutional limit.
Although Tshisekedi’s second and final term is set to conclude in 2028, Fayulu contends that recent presidential statements and a new legislative bill signal an intention to stay “at any cost.”
While the president claims he has not sought a third term, he recently suggested he would accept one if it were the “will of the people,” sparking fears of a power grab.
The controversy centres on a bill currently moving through the Congolese parliament that would allow for a referendum to revise term limits in the event of “major dysfunction” within the state.
Fayulu has branded this a “subterfuge” and a “constitutional coup d’etat,” designed to bypass the current legal ban on altering mandate lengths.
He argues that the president is using domestic instability as a pretext to undermine democratic transitions.
Further tensions have arisen over the ongoing conflict in the eastern DRC involving the M23 militia.
Despite a U.S.-brokered peace deal signed last December, violence persists in the mineral-rich region.
President Tshisekedi has hinted that the 2028 elections could be postponed if the fighting continues, a move Fayulu claims is a strategic attempt to avoid holding a vote.
Additionally, Tshisekedi has linked constitutional changes to reforms requested by the United States to secure mineral access for American businesses.
Fayulu has countered this by stating that international economic interests should not interfere with Congolese sovereignty or dictate internal legal structures.
The opposition leader vowed to take all necessary actions to prevent Tshisekedi from securing a third term and violating the nation’s foundational laws.
