From June 10 to 12, the Ministry of Higher Education, University, Scientific Research and Innovation is hosting academic symposiums in Kinshasa, Kisangani and Lubumbashi. The event, organized in collaboration with leading universities and research centers, aims to foster scientific analysis of the 2006 Constitution’s strengths, weaknesses and future adaptations to the Democratic Republic of Congo’s evolving realities.

According to Minister Sombo Ayanne Safi Mukuna Marie-Thérèse, the symposiums will focus on three key themes: geostrategic issues in Kinshasa, sociological and environmental challenges in Kisangani, and industrial transitions in Lubumbashi. The initiative seeks to engage academics, constitutional scholars, social scientists, university leaders and advanced students in drafting recommendations to strengthen the rule of law, democratic governance and sustainable development.

The timing of these academic discussions coincides with intense political debates in Parliament, where a referendum bill was recently adopted. While the ruling Union Sacrée coalition—including the UDPS, the president’s party—pushes for constitutional reform under the banner of adapting the text to national needs, critics argue the move is a veiled attempt to prolong President Félix Tshisekedi’s tenure beyond his second and final term ending in 2029.

Opposition figures and civil society leaders have condemned the reform efforts, labeling them a constitutional coup. They warn that such changes could destabilize the country amid ongoing security crises, including the M23 rebellion allegedly backed by Rwanda. Meanwhile, two coalitions have emerged: the Coalition Article 64 for the Defense of the Constitutional Order (C64) and the Coalition of Congolese for Constitutional Change (C4), each claiming popular support for their respective agendas.

As the DRC stands at a crossroads between scientific reflection and political turmoil, the outcome of these symposiums could shape the nation’s constitutional future and its path toward stability and democratic renewal.