DRC Sanate rejects Kabila Proposal to extend his rule

Congolese in Kinshasa city protesting Against President Joseph Kabila’s Proposal to extend his rule for 3 years. Senate has thrown out the Proposal with an overwhelming ‘NO’ vote.

DRCongo senate Friday Morning thwarted President Joseph Kabila’s extended rule plans, unanimously voting ‘NO’.

The electoral bill, proposing postponement of next year’s presidential elections for three years, triggered a wave of violent riots across the country, causing over 40 deaths as security agencies attempted to restrain protesters.

Senate president, Leon Kengo wa Dondo said the census cannot take place now.

Meanwhile, President Kabila is currently serving his second and last term in office, according to the constitution.

Kabila was pushing for for a delayed vote to conduct a “reliable” national census, which observers say would take ages.

DRCongo has never had a reliable census since 1960, after independence from Belgium.

After throwing out the bill, the senate said in their reformulation of article 8, that “the update of the electoral list should be done within a constitutional time frame.”

Since the beginning of the week, hundreds of Congolese took to streets both in the capital Kinshasa and other provincial cities, vandalizing property and infrastructure and chanting slogans against Kabila.

By Thursday morning, hundreds of Congolese from Goma and Bukavu were fleeing into Rwanda while dozens were killed during riots.

Residents around the border towns of Goma and Rubavu on the Rwandan side had returned to their businesses.

After the Senate president’s televised address to the nation, there is a sense of ease and calmness.

Some shops were open while crowds were seen on the streets walking back to work.

SOURCE: KTPress