The government of the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) has prohibited mass gatherings in Kinshasa and three additional provinces to curb the spread of the Ebola outbreak. The measure, announced in a letter from Interior Minister Jacquemain Shabani, comes just one week before a major opposition demonstration scheduled for Wednesday, 8 July in the capital.
Declared on 15 May, the country’s 17th Ebola epidemic has officially killed 360 people out of 1,274 recorded cases. While the four northeastern provinces remain the hardest hit, no transmission has been reported in Kinshasa, a megacity of over 17 million residents.
In his correspondence dated Saturday, 27 June, the minister instructs local authorities to forbid “mass gatherings” to “prevent any contamination of the Ebola virus disease.” The directive does not explicitly state whether the opposition protest is targeted.
Decision amid heightened political tensions
The ban arrives as the political climate has sharply deteriorated over a bill to organise a referendum on constitutional revision. The opposition argues the reform could pave the way for a third term for President Félix Tshisekedi, who has been in power since 2019, while the current constitution limits the head of state to two terms.
Approved in mid-June by a parliament dominated by the presidential majority, the text now awaits possible promulgation by the president.
On 12 June, a previous opposition rally denouncing a “constitutional coup” was violently dispersed in Kinshasa. Clashes between demonstrators, pro-government activists and security forces left several injured. The United Nations also reported the death of “at least one protester.”
Despite the announced restrictions, the opposition maintains its call to march on 8 July to demand Tshisekedi’s resignation. On Monday, Jacquemain Shabani described this call as “an act of high treason.”
