DRC: Spokesman announces Aug. 8 President Kabila will not pursue re-election /update 4

Event

A spokesman for DRC President Joseph Kabila announced on Wednesday, August 8, that Kabila will not pursue re-election in December's presidential election. The spokesman also announced that former interior minister Emmanuel Ramazani Shadary will be the ruling Alliance of the Presidential Majority (AMP) coalition candidate. The announcement quells concerns that Kabila would disregard constitutional term limits and pursue a third term in December, which likely would have spurred violent unrest. However, the possibility of political violence in the run-up to the December election cannot be ruled out.

Context

Presidential elections are scheduled to be held on December 23. The DRC remains gripped by a political crisis stemming from President Joseph Kabila's refusal to step down after his term expired in December 2016. President Kabila is constitutionally limited from pursuing a third term.

Shadary was placed on EU sanctions lists in May 2017 for "planning, directing, or committing" serious violations of human rights in his role as interior minister in Kabila's administration.

Advice

Individuals in the DRC, particularly in Kinshasa, 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.