The National Assembly of the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) has announced that a fresh deliberation on the law governing the organisation of referendums will be placed on the agenda of the September 2026 parliamentary session, at the request of the President, amid heated debate over a possible constitutional amendment.
In an official statement signed Thursday by the rapporteur of the Bureau of the DRC National Assembly, Jacques Djoli Eseng’Ekeli, the institution said the Constitutional Court, in ruling R.Const. 2695 of 28 July 2026, had declared the law constitutional while issuing reservations requiring the deletion, replacement and redrafting of certain provisions.
According to the statement, President Félix Tshisekedi, in a letter dated 10 August 2026, formally requested the presidents of the National Assembly and Senate to reconsider the legislation, in accordance with Article 137 of the constitution.
The Bureau of the National Assembly said the procedure was intended to incorporate the High Court’s interpretative provisions and provide the country with legislation ensuring clarity, consistency, intelligibility and legal certainty in the exercise of the people’s sovereign power.
The fresh deliberation will take place during the September 2026 parliamentary session, the National Assembly said.
The decision comes as the referendum issue has become one of the main points of confrontation between President Félix Tshisekedi’s government and sections of the opposition.
The opposition suspects the ruling majority of seeking to pave the way for a constitutional amendment, particularly provisions governing presidential terms, while the president’s camp maintains that the reform is aimed solely at improving the functioning of state institutions and strengthening legal certainty surrounding the referendum process.
AC/Sf/lb/as/APA