Political and financial tensions in Democratic Republic of│C

Political tension in the Democratic Republic of the Congo has manifested through both financial allegations and legislative debates regarding constitutional reform.

In late September 2026, opposition leader Olivier Kamitatu raised concerns regarding the management of 2025 public finances. Citing whistleblower data from the Central Bank of the Congo, Kamitatu alleged that while 97% of revenues were collected, only 5% of the budget was executed for investment. The allegations included significant irregularities, such as over $300 million in cash withdrawals and approximately $2.9 billion in payments that were regularized after the fact, with a large portion of those regularizations occurring on a single day in June 2025.

By late October 2026, the focus shifted to the legislative process for a constitutional referendum. The National Assembly re-adopted a law governing the organization of a referendum, which has been sent to the Senate for review following mandates for clarification from the Constitutional Court. The proposed framework allows for popular consultation that could lead to a new Constitution. This process has caused division, as President Félix Tshisekedi maintains the reforms reflect popular sovereignty, while opposition leaders and civil society groups argue for the preservation of the current Constitution and call for a national dialogue.