15 September 2026: High security in Kinshasa ahead of parliament's return

Congolese MPs are set to return to the hemicycle at the People's Palace today, 15 September 2026, for the opening of the ordinary parliamentary session.

In a statement signed by the National Assembly's rapporteur, Jacques Djoli, lawmakers were summoned to the People's Palace at 1 pm.

In a separate briefing, he outlined access arrangements for MPs and administrative staff entering the building.

The September session will be largely dedicated to scrutinising the 2027 draft budget. The government has approved a balanced budget set at 57.5 trillion Congolese francs (approximately $24.8bn), marking a 12% increase compared to the 2026 revised finance bill.

The legislation must now be examined by both houses of Parliament. MPs will be tasked with assessing the coherence of revenue and expenditure forecasts, as well as the state's actual capacity to raise the projected funds.

Meanwhile, the Article 64 Coalition for the Defence of Constitutional Order (C64) has staged a planned "peaceful" protest outside the parliamentary precinct. According to organisers, the demonstration aims to reaffirm their commitment to upholding the Constitution, the rule of law, and constitutional order.

This clash of dates between the return of parliament and the opposition mobilisation has sparked concern within the ruling majority.

National MP Augustin Kabuya had previously requested a rescheduled start time for the National Assembly's opening ceremony proposing it be pushed back to 6 pm for security reasons. However, this request was turned down after the Assembly's Bureau decided to press ahead with a daytime plenary.

Although a compromise appears to have been struck between the organisers and the Kinshasa governorate diverting the march's destination to the headquarters of Martin Fayulu’s ECIDE party, opposite the Stade des Martyrs, rather than the People's Palace tensions remain exceptionally high in the capital as parliament reconvenes under heavy security.