The government of the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) has banned mass gatherings in Kinshasa and three other provinces to curb the spread of the Ebola outbreak. This decision, detailed in a letter from Interior Minister Jacquemain Shabani, comes just one week before a large opposition demonstration planned for Wednesday, 8 July in the capital.
Declared on 15 May, the country’s 17th Ebola epidemic has officially claimed 360 lives out of 1,274 recorded cases. While the four northeastern provinces remain the hardest hit, no transmission has been reported in Kinshasa, a megacity of over 17 million people.
In his letter dated Saturday, 27 June, the minister instructed local authorities to prohibit “mass gatherings” to “avoid any contamination with the Ebola virus disease.” The text does not explicitly state whether the opposition rally is targeted by this measure.
A decision amid high political tensions
This ban arrives as the political climate has sharply deteriorated over a draft law regulating a referendum on constitutional revision. The opposition warns that this reform could pave the way for a third term for President Félix Tshisekedi, who has been in power since 2019, while the constitution currently limits the head of state to two terms.
Adopted in mid-June by a parliament overwhelmingly dominated by the presidential majority, the text now awaits potential promulgation by the president.
On 12 June, a previous opposition gathering denouncing a “constitutional coup” was violently dispersed in Kinshasa. Clashes between protesters, pro-government activists, and security forces left several injured. The United Nations also reported the death of “at least one demonstrator.”
Despite the announced restrictions, the opposition maintains its call to protest on 8 July, demanding Félix Tshisekedi’s resignation. On Monday, Jacquemain Shabani described this call as “an act of high treason.”
