Katumbi rejects constitutional change, calls 2006 charter “the best in the world”

Kinshasa March 27, 2026 - Opposition leader Moïse Katumbi has strongly opposed any attempt to revise the Constitution of the Democratic Republic of Congo, urging citizens to resist proposed reforms amid an ongoing national debate over constitutional change. In a video message shared on his social media platforms, the leader of the Ensemble pour la République party warned against efforts to alter the 2006 Constitution, calling on Congolese citizens to remain vigilant and mobilize in defense of the current legal framework. He cited Article 64, which provides for civic resistance in the event of a threat to constitutional order, and urged the population to reject any revision process he views as politically motivated. Katumbi argued that the Constitution is not responsible for the country’s governance failures, stating that issues such as poor infrastructure, low public sector wages, unemployment, and poverty stem from leadership and policy choices rather than the constitutional framework itself. He described the 2006 Constitution as “the best in the world” and warned that changing it would constitute a betrayal of the Congolese people. Addressing President Félix Tshisekedi directly, Katumbi recalled past cooperation on safeguarding constitutional order and the country’s first peaceful transfer of power, urging respect for the aspirations of citizens and national stability. The debate over constitutional revision has intensified in recent months, with the ruling party arguing that reforms are needed to improve state efficiency, while opposition figures and civil society groups warn that such changes could undermine term limits and consolidate political power beyond 2028. The controversy continues to deepen political divisions in the country as both sides maintain sharply contrasting interpretations of the Constitution’s role in governance and development.