Augustin Kabuya requests rescheduling of DRC parliamentary opening

Augustin Kabuya, a national deputy and Secretary General of the UDPS, has formally requested that the opening ceremony for the ordinary parliamentary session scheduled for September 15, 2026, be rescheduled to 6:00 PM.

Kabuya submitted his request to the President of the National Assembly, citing security and preventative concerns. He noted reports of planned demonstrations by opposition groups, specifically the C64 political and citizen platform, which are expected to take place on the same day in Kinshasa. Kabuya expressed concern that the proximity of these protests to the Palais du Peuple could lead to tensions, provocations, or confrontations between demonstrators and national deputies.

By shifting the ceremony to the evening, Kabuya argues that the constitutional requirements for the session opening would still be met while creating a temporal buffer to ensure the dignity of the elected officials and the solemnity of the event. He stated that this measure aims to prevent political actors from transforming the parliamentary opening into a space for confrontation or political visibility.