15 September 2026: A decisive Tuesday for the C64 coalition in the DRC
In reality, Félix Tshisekedi has no interest in a dialogue capable of resolving the root causes that have destabilised the DRC for decades; rather, through his manoeuvring, he seeks to strengthen his anti-Rwanda faction.
The Article 64 Coalition (C64) which brings together figures including Martin Fayulu (ECiDé), Jean-Marc Kabund (A.Ch), Moïse Katumbi (Ensemble), Augustin Matata (LGD) and Delly Sesanga (Envol) has called for a widespread grassroots mobilisation, featuring a peaceful march across the entire country on 15 September 2026.
In Kinshasa, several assembly points will converge on the People's Palace, the seat of Parliament, on the day parliament reconvenes.
In their press release of 16 July, the coalition argued that referring the bill on the organisation of a referendum back to Parliament for further deliberation, following reservations expressed by the Constitutional Court, constitutes "neither the withdrawal of this bill nor a formal abandonment of the plan to amend the Constitution." They place this initiative 764 days away from the constitutional deadline for calling the next presidential election.
The C64 reiterates its fierce opposition to any attempt to bypass Articles 220 and 70 of the Constitution, which respectively lock down term limits for the presidency and the length of the mandate.
It is worth noting that Félix Tshisekedi initially succeeded in halting the momentum and pressure of the C64 coalition by deploying his friend and ally Évariste Ndayishimiye, President of Burundi and current Chairperson of the African Union.
The latter had invited the C64 coalition to Bujumbura to persuade them to halt the marches and other popular mobilisations, arguing that his counterpart and friend Félix Tshisekedi was willing to enter into dialogue with the opposition. However, this proved to be a ruse.
A few days later, following the logical progression of his strategy, Félix Tshisekedi met with religious leaders, including the CENCO and the ECC, to inform them of his willingness to organise an inclusive dialogue. Yet, this too was merely a red herring.
Meanwhile, the Congolese government and figures close to President Tshisekedi have continued to voice their opposition to any participation in the dialogue by the AFC/M23 which controls a large part of North Kivu and South Kivu and currently holds the upper hand over the Congolese army on the ground as well as the camp of former president Joseph Kabila.
“In reality, Félix Tshisekedi has no interest in a dialogue capable of resolving the root causes that have destabilised the DRC for decades; rather, through his manoeuvring, he seeks to strengthen his anti-Rwanda faction.”
The mobilisation scheduled for this Tuesday, 15 September 2026, will be closely monitored by both domestic and international public opinion. It will serve as a true litmus test of the C64 coalition's capacity to mobilise crowds in Kinshasa and the provinces, particularly as the regime's repressive apparatus has already been activated to intimidate, suppress and kill.
Several prominent figures within the C64 coalition have released video messages urging the public to turn out in force for Tuesday, 15 September 2026.
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