DRC: Anti-government protests leave five dead in Goma Oct. 30

Event

Anti-government protests and associated clashes with police in the Madjengon and Mabanga districts of Goma (North Kivu province) have left at least five people dead on Monday, October 30. The protests, which broke out at roughly 05:00 (local time), were organized by local pro-democracy and other activist groups as part of a general strike demanding the removal of President Joseph Kabila and expressing outrage against the lack of elections to replace him. Protesters reportedly set up barricades and burned tires in the city, resulting in localized traffic disruptions. Additional protests, and consequent transportation disruptions, are possible in the coming days.

Context

The current political crisis stems from President Joseph Kabila's refusal to step down after his term expired in December 2016. Under a deal struck between the government and the opposition, elections were scheduled to take place before the end of 2017. The Congolese constitution states that the electoral commission must call for elections at least 90 days ahead of the vote, meaning that September 30 would have been the last possible day to set elections to occur by the end of the year.

The failure to honor the agreement is not surprising, as the electoral commission had announced in July that a presidential vote would "probably not be possible" this year due to both budgetary constraints and continued violence, but that an electoral calendar would "soon" be published.

Advice

Individuals present in the DRC are advised to monitor the situation, maintain a high degree of situational awareness, and avoid all rallies and demonstrations due to the risk of violence.

More generally, a number of Western governments advise their citizens against travel to the east and northeast of the country, particularly North Kivu province, due to poor security conditions, including the presence of armed groups and a high risk of kidnapping.