On August 13, faced with mounting pressure from the Article 64 Coalition (C64)—a united front of major opposition parties launched in May—President Félix Tshisekedi requested a parliamentary review of the draft law outlining conditions for a constitutional referendum. The coalition, which includes prominent figures like Moïse Katumbi, has long accused the government of using the reform to enable the president to seek a third term, a move prohibited by the 2006 Constitution.

The previous day, Kinshasa witnessed a stark warning from Dieudonné Bolengetenge, Secretary-General of Katumbi’s Ensemble pour la République and C64 spokesperson. He declared the coalition would no longer tolerate delays and would escalate mobilizations unless the president took decisive action to initiate national dialogue.

The C64 had set August 15 as a deadline to assess progress in talks, urging citizens to mobilize and resist if the controversial referendum bill—currently under parliamentary review—was not withdrawn. This call followed an earlier postponement of a planned protest march on July 22, after appeals from the country’s Catholic and Protestant churches for dialogue over confrontation.

A cautious retreat

While the president’s concession falls short of the coalition’s demands, it marks a cautious step in the right direction, according to Prince Epenge, C64 co-founder. The opposition has signaled it will maintain pressure to ensure the proposal is permanently shelved.

The referendum proposal has drawn sharp criticism beyond political circles. On August 10, 65 civil society organizations submitted a memorandum to President Tshisekedi and national institutions, warning that the initiative could fuel political tensions, deepen social divisions, and divert attention from critical national priorities.