Bottom Line

Parliament plans to reconsider a law governing referendums as the opposition reports a death following Tuesday’s disrupted demonstrations and the UDPS calls marches of its own. Government-aligned forces claim further gains in Masisi and Walikale, where thousands of families displaced by earlier fighting still need assistance. Ebola is declining in Ituri, but North Kivu’s case curve is still rising.

Politics and Institutions

Referendum law returns to Parliament after opposition demonstrations

At President Félix Tshisekedi’s request, the National Assembly plans to reconsider the law setting the conditions for referendums during its September session. Electoral-reform texts are also on the agenda. The opposition Coalition Article 64 opposes constitutional change, while the UDPS has called on supporters across the country to march on September 22 in support of referendum legislation, state institutions and the proposed national dialogue. No referendum has been scheduled.

ADDCongo, the party of opposition figure Prince Epenge, says his security aide Manassé Lomboto died in a Kinshasa hospital after being injured during the September 15 demonstration. His associates accuse police and members of the UDPS-linked Force du Progrès of attacking him; responsibility has not been established. Opposition leader Martin Fayulu has announced plans to bring legal complaints over the response to the march.

Two Kalemie radio technicians detained over protest program, press group says

Press-freedom group OLPA says Pierre Kyula and Charles Nasibu were detained at Radio Ndenga News on September 14 after men claiming to work for the intelligence agency ordered them to stop rebroadcasting a program about the planned opposition demonstration and demanded its recording. OLPA has called for their release.

Justice Ministry suspends inspections of churches and associations

The Justice Ministry suspended inspections of religious organizations, nonprofit associations and public-benefit institutions in Kinshasa, citing irregularities in how the mission was carried out. The inspection campaign was launched on August 10 and had been operating for about three weeks. Justice Minister Guillaume Ngefa plans to consult representatives of the affected organizations before inspections resume.

Eastern DRC Conflict and Security

Government-aligned forces claim more positions in Masisi and Walikale

After the previously reported capture of Miko hill, FARDC-backed forces were reported to have taken Remeka, Katuunda, Kareta and nearby positions in Masisi’s Ufamandu I area. Fighting continued around Kasake on September 16. In neighboring Walikale, government-aligned forces reportedly retook Mindjendje, which AFC/M23 had captured earlier in the month. Control of the individual positions has not been independently verified.

Displaced families strain host communities in Walikale

Local reporting counted 17,755 displaced households sheltering in Waloa Loanda after they fled August fighting in neighboring areas of Masisi and Kalehe. A September 16 report said more than 17,700 households remained in distress. Host families are providing much of the shelter, while health facilities in Itebero Health Zone report medicine shortages.

Gunfire disrupts Uvira; schoolchild reported killed

Gunfire spread through several Uvira neighborhoods on September 16. A fourth-grade student was reported killed in Kalundu, schools sent pupils home and transport between Uvira and Bukavu was suspended. Residents linked the unrest to Wazalendo demands for the release of a fighter detained by the army, but who fired the fatal shot remains unknown.

Health and Humanitarian

Ebola declines in Ituri but continues to rise in North Kivu

The outbreak’s trajectory differs sharply between provinces. National biomedical-research director Jean-Jacques Muyembe said Ituri’s case curve is descending while North Kivu’s is still rising. The reported national peak therefore does not mean transmission has peaked in every affected province.

Muyembe also said 20–25 percent of samples from suspected patients now test positive, down from about 60 percent early in the outbreak. The number of laboratories available for testing has risen from two to 24.

Public Finance

Ministry operating payments near annual allocation by midyear

By June 30, the government had paid CDF 2.868 trillion for ministry operations—94 percent of the CDF 3.049 trillion allocated for the full year. Institutional operating payments had reached 78 percent of their annual allocation. An analysis of the same budget-execution period put payments at 43 percent of the annual education allocation, 34 percent for health and 31 percent for environmental protection.

Public Services

Low Inga water levels contribute to Kinshasa power shortages

State electricity utility SNEL attributed continuing power shortages in Kinshasa partly to low water levels at Inga and debris disrupting hydroelectric generation. The problem has persisted through the dry season: SNEL said in July that low water had forced generating units at Inga I and Zongo II offline, removing roughly 205 MW from the western grid. SNEL has also been clearing plastic waste, branches and tree trunks from waters around its hydroelectric installations. Its Kinshasa distribution director said generation could improve within two to three weeks if rainfall raises water levels.