DRC President Tshisekedi pushes national dialogue amid opposition and religious calls

The government of the Democratic Republic of Congo said the national dialogue remains the sole responsibility of President Félix‑Antoine Tshisekedi, rejecting an opposition‑led ultimatum that demanded the dialogue be convened by 15 August. Minister of Communication Patrick Muyaya stressed that the president will set the agenda in his own time and linked the dialogue to the need for a united front against security threats, including the presence of armed groups backed by Rwanda.

The Platform of Religious Confessions of the DRC called for an inclusive, peaceful dialogue and announced the creation of a mixed inter‑faith commission to draft a roadmap. The platform noted recent meetings with Burundi President Évariste Ndayishimiye, current chair of the African Union, and with President Tshisekedi, who they say removed obstacles to the dialogue.

The political party Congo Positif, which leads the Front Anti‑Dialogue, said it welcomes the president’s initiative but set conditions: each stakeholder must publish its own agenda and the process must not jeopardise the legitimacy of existing democratic institutions. The party also urged guarantees for youth participation and non‑violence.