AFRICA/DR CONGO - New clashes in Kinshasa, but the door to dialogue between majority and opposition remains open

Tuesday, 20 September 2016 politics  

Kinshasa (Agenzia Fides) - "Clashes continue even today and the city is paralyzed", say local sources to Agenzia Fides from Kinshasa, capital of the Democratic Republic of Congo, where since yesterday there have been ongoing clashes between police and protesters who do not want President Joseph Kabila to stay in office after the expiry of his mandate on 20 December (see Fides 19/09/2016). "Yesterday 17 people: three policemen and 14 civilians died in the clashes. Demonstrations and clashes still continue, even now. The whole of Kinshasa is paralyzed, shops are closed and there is no public transport. The head office of 'Le Rassemblement', a group of opposition parties supporting the candidate Etienne Tshisekedi, was set on fire", report Fides sources, who do not wish to be mentioned.
Despite the tension, national dialogue, sponsored by the African Union continues in order to find a solution to the political crisis centered on the lack of a date of the presidential elections, which according to the Constitution, should have to be held within 90 days of the expiry of Kabila’s mandate.
"National dialogue was to end yesterday, but continues today. Perhaps there is still room for an agreement between the presidential majority and the opposition. If this agreement were to be reached, it will be announced this afternoon", say our sources. "The good thing is that the door of dialogue has remained open, even in discussions involving only representatives of "Le Rassemblement"," concludes Fides sources. (L.M.) (Agenzia Fides 20/09/2016)


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