Félix Tshisekedi unveils national dialogue for drc’s future

Crédit photo, Reuters

President Félix Tshisekedi of the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) unveiled a significant national initiative on Thursday, August 27, announcing a “National Dialogue for Peace, Cohesion, and State Refoundation.” This crucial address to the nation positions the dialogue as a direct response to the multifaceted security, political, and social crises that have destabilized the country for years. This move marks a pivotal moment in African current affairs.

During his long-awaited speech, the Congolese leader outlined a process designed to diverge from previous political dialogues held in the nation, aiming for a more impactful approach to African governance.

“This National Dialogue will first distinguish itself by its territorial roots: it will not commence in Kinshasa, but rather at the heart of our 26 provinces, our territories, and our communities,” President Tshisekedi declared.

The Congolese President affirmed his intention to construct a dialogue “conceived by Congolese and for Congolese,” specifically tailored to pinpoint the underlying causes of the recurring instability that weakens the nation.

While certain civil society actors applauded the announcement, several prominent opposition figures swiftly voiced their reservations, deeming the proposed format either insufficient or ill-suited for the current national context.

A dialogue rooted in the provinces

Crédit photo, JOHN WESSELS/AFP via Getty Images

As explained by the President, the process will commence with a series of consultations across the country’s 26 provinces, preceding national gatherings in Kinshasa.

Provincial forums will bring together national and provincial elected officials, representatives from both the majority and opposition parties, civil society leaders, traditional chiefs, religious denominations, and key economic, academic, and scientific figures.

The primary objective is to empower each province to conduct its own comprehensive assessment.

“Each province will, in complete candor, establish its own diagnosis: the causes of insecurity, land and customary conflicts, communal tensions, administrative deficiencies, inequalities, obstacles to development, and necessary reforms,” the DRC Head of State elaborated.

The findings from these local consultations are then expected to inform and enrich the national sessions scheduled for Kinshasa.

Two ordinances to organize the process

Félix Tshisekedi also announced the forthcoming signing of two presidential ordinances.

The first will establish an organizing committee, tasked with preparing the administrative, logistical, and material aspects of the dialogue and ensuring the necessary conditions for its successful execution.

The second ordinance will formally convene the dialogue, detailing the modalities for participant representation, the various stages of the process, and the mechanisms responsible for monitoring the implementation of the resulting recommendations.

The President indicated that the proceedings are expected to span a maximum duration of three months.

Upon the conclusion of these sessions, a “national pact” is anticipated to be adopted, accompanied by a permanent mechanism for tracking the commitments made.

Tshisekedi sets his red lines

Crédit photo, Michele Tantussi/Getty Images

The Congolese President also took care to define several limits that he considers non-negotiable.

He particularly emphasized that the dialogue should not be misconstrued as a framework for power-sharing.

“We have too often responded to crises through power-sharing rather than through the consolidation of the state,” he asserted.

Félix Tshisekedi further excluded any challenge to the institutions established by the 2023 elections and firmly insisted on maintaining constitutional order.

Another critical red line is the participation of armed groups.

“No one will be excluded because of their opinions, their criticisms, their political affiliation, their provincial origin, their language, their ethnicity, or their religion. But no one can claim to sit at the nation’s table while taking up arms against it,” the President affirmed.

This provision explicitly excludes armed movements active in the eastern part of the country, even as negotiations between Kinshasa and the AFC/M23 continue in Doha.

However, the President assured that this national dialogue would not supersede ongoing regional and international diplomatic initiatives.

Claudel Lubaya calls it a “missed opportunity”

In a message posted on X, opposition figure Claudel Lubaya expressed particular criticism of the presidential address.

“Neither vision, nor awareness of the gravity of the moment, nor answers commensurate with the crisis,” he wrote.

The former deputy believes that the Head of State failed to provide the anticipated solutions to the challenges confronting the country.

In another reaction, he characterized the presidential announcement as a “missed opportunity with history” and contended that the proposed dialogue did not meet the expectations of many Congolese citizens.

For Claudel Lubaya, the issue extends beyond the question of certain actors’ participation in the process.

“The point of disagreement is the substance. It is not the form,” he stated in Congolese media outlets.

The opposition leader went further, asserting that the dialogue risked serving the ruling coalition more than creating a genuine space for national consultation.

Christian Mwando doubts inclusivity

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Deputy and opposition member Christian Mwando Nsimba, a key figure in the Ensemble pour la République party, also conveyed his concerns.

According to Mwando, the format presented by President Tshisekedi appears incapable of resolving the ongoing crisis.

“What President Tshisekedi is proposing is a vast fair that will not put an end to the conflict,” he declared.

Christian Mwando specifically questioned the absence of the term “inclusive” in the Head of State’s speech, a concept that had been consistently highlighted in prior discussions about a national dialogue.

The opposition figure also raised doubts about the compatibility between this new consultative framework and the ongoing Doha process, which is dedicated to discussions with the AFC/M23.

Jean-Claude Katende supports certain directions

Conversely, Jean-Claude Katende, president of the African Association for Human Rights (ASADHO), positively received several elements of the presidential address.

In a message shared on X, the lawyer and human rights defender particularly commended the rejection of power-sharing.

“I subscribe to President Félix Tshisekedi’s discourse on the dialogue insofar as he has clearly excluded any power-sharing,” he wrote.

Jean-Claude Katende also welcomed the emphasis on citizen participation and the mechanisms designed to ensure the follow-up of resolutions that will be adopted.

However, he urged caution.

“I am satisfied with the President’s intervention with the hope that everything he has said will be observed and that it is not demagoguery,” he added.

A political test for the government

Crédit photo, Glody Murhabazi / AFP via Getty Images

The announcement of this dialogue ushers in a new political phase for the DRC, a nation grappling with persistent insecurity in its eastern regions and numerous internal political tensions.

For the government, the immediate challenge is to persuade political forces, civil society, and the various components of the country that this process can indeed yield concrete results.

For the opposition, the question remains whether this dialogue will truly serve as a genuine framework for national consultation or primarily as an initiative driven by the presidential camp.

The upcoming ordinances announced by Félix Tshisekedi are expected to provide further clarity on the composition of the preparatory committee and the precise modalities for participation in the future national sessions.