In Democratic Republic of the Congo, protests held over proposed constitutional changes

Protests in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) have spurned violent clashes as police cracked down. Police fired tear gas as hundreds of people protested in the capital Kinshasa on Tuesday against proposed constitutional changes that critics worry could allow President Felix Tshisekedi to seek a ‌third term in power. The political unrest adds to DRC’s struggles as it faces a rapidly spreading Ebola outbreak and ongoing conflict in the east of the country. [ . . . ] The protests were part of a nationwide day of action called by the “C64” coalition, which was forged by opposition forces in a bid to defeat Tshisekedi’s attempt to change the constitution. [ . . . ] Congo’s constitution currently limits presidential terms to two five-year increments. DRC’s parliament adopted a bill in June allowing constitutional changes to be put to a ⁠referendum, and members of Tshisekedi’s coalition have backed changes that would allow him to remain in office.
Read the full article here: Al Jazeera