On the occasion of the 66th anniversary of the Democratic Republic of the Congo’s independence, President Félix Tshisekedi delivered a speech on 29 June 2026, calling for national cohesion, respect for institutions, and a firm rejection of violence as a means of political expression.
In his address to the nation, delivered on the eve of Independence Day, the head of state reaffirmed his openness to dialogue while drawing clear boundaries on its conditions. He stressed that dialogue must not be diverted from its purpose or used to bypass republican institutions.
“The Republic does not close its doors to any of its children, provided they choose the path of peace, dialogue, respect for institutions, and loyalty to the nation. But dialogue cannot be twisted from its meaning. It must never become an instrument of pressure, a way to circumvent institutions, or a challenge to the will of the people as expressed in accordance with the Constitution and laws of the Republic,” said Félix Tshisekedi.
The president also reminded that sovereignty belongs solely to the Congolese people.
“The Congolese people are the only sovereign. No one can speak lastingly in the name of the nation against the nation itself. No one can claim to defend democracy while rejecting the principles that underpin it: free debate, respect for institutions, separation of powers, popular sovereignty, and accountability before the people,” he continued.
Addressing security and conflict issues, against a backdrop of protests against a possible constitutional change, Tshisekedi strongly condemned the use of weapons and violence. He argued that taking up arms cannot, under any circumstances, grant a special right to negotiate or place those who threaten the Republic above those who abide by its laws.
“At this point, I want to emphasise one thing with the utmost firmness: resorting to violence, arms, hatred, disinformation, or any form of attack on our sovereignty and territorial integrity cannot constitute a mode of political expression. It cannot, in any case, open a special right to negotiation, nor put those who threaten the Republic above those who respect its laws,” he declared.
The president then called on Congolese citizens to preserve national unity in the face of the country’s challenges.
“We can debate, disagree, and oppose one another within the republican framework. But we do not have the right to weaken the nation when it faces existential threats. Faced with the challenges weighing on our country, national unity is not an option: it is a historical necessity, it is an absolute imperative!” he added.
Tshisekedi also appealed to all active forces in the country to contribute to maintaining national stability. He specifically stressed the role of religious leaders, as well as political, economic, media, and civil society actors.
“I therefore call on political actors from both the majority and the opposition, social, religious, economic, media, and community leaders, as well as all of civil society, to show wisdom, restraint, and responsibility,” recommended the head of state.
In the Democratic Republic of the Congo, positions on national dialogue remain deeply divided. The government supports a dialogue framed by republican institutions, excluding any challenge to the constitutional order and any form of impunity. In contrast, a large part of the opposition believes that a credible dialogue can only take place under the auspices of the National Episcopal Conference of Congo (CENCO) and the Church of Christ in Congo (ECC), which have proposed a common roadmap for national dialogue.
The two religious denominations advocate for inclusive dialogue, while clarifying that inclusiveness must not mean impunity. They propose transitional justice mechanisms and call for early consultations to prevent armed groups from entrenching themselves in occupied territories. Other civil society actors also support dialogue, but stress that it “is not a laundry service” meant to erase responsibilities.
At this stage, no national dialogue has been convened yet. Meanwhile, diplomatic initiatives under the Washington and Doha processes continue, but so far without significant improvement in the security situation in North Kivu and South Kivu provinces. In this context, the Angolan mediation, which has remained discreet in recent months without publicly clarifying the next steps of this initiative, continues its work.
