Civil society groups warn against Congo referendum

In the Democratic Republic of Congo,65 civil society organisations are urging President Félix Tshisekedi to abandon plans for a constitutional referendum.

In a memorandum sent Monday to the president and the country’s main institutions,the groups say the security,humanitarian and economic crises make a referendum a poor use of resources.

They point to the war in the east,the suffering of millions of displaced people,and worsening living conditions,warning that the proposed law could be seen as a first step toward changing the Constitution and could deepen political tensions.

The organisations,including No to Constitutional Change,Civil Bridge,Génération Z RDC,LUCHA-RDC and Filimbi,are calling on Tshisekedi to focus instead on stability and the country’s urgent needs.

But the president’s party,the UDPS,says a legal framework for a referendum is needed to fill a legal gap and set out the rules for exercising popular sovereignty.

The debate has become another flashpoint in a country already facing war in the east and severe social and economic hardship.