After a day of near-total shutdown in Kinshasa, economic activity began cautiously resuming Wednesday afternoon. The opposition coalition behind the protest insists the movement demonstrated overwhelming public rejection of President Félix Tshisekedi’s constitutional reform plans, while government officials maintain the reform process remains on track.

Streets emptied by protest and heavy security presence

Residents across multiple districts of the capital chose to stay indoors, leaving normally bustling streets eerily quiet. Between widespread security deployments and fears of potential unrest, the city presented a dramatically altered landscape.

“I haven’t seen any students on the streets. There’s no traffic at all. Schools are closed. We don’t want the Constitution changed. If we hadn’t refused, we’d all be at work right now. People simply don’t want this,” said one resident who asked not to be named.

“Here, we’re trapped. Soldiers and police are everywhere breaking up gatherings. No one can move around—no cars, no motorbikes. The situation is terrible. All the shops are closed,” reported another resident from the Gombe district.

Opposition hails historic participation

The opposition coalition, which groups parties under the Article 64 banner, declared the shutdown a resounding success. Spokespersons announced near-universal compliance with their call for civil disobedience and vowed to escalate pressure against what they label an unconstitutional power grab.

Prince Epenge, spokesman for the Lamuka coalition, framed the protest as an unambiguous rebuke of the president’s intentions.

“The people of Kinshasa responded at 99.9% to our call. By staying home, citizens delivered a clear message rejecting President Tshisekedi’s authoritarian attempt to change the Constitution to cling to power. He needs to hear this message from the empty streets,” Epenge warned.

Government dismisses protest impact

The ruling party, Union for Democracy and Social Progress (UDPS), pushed back against opposition claims. Christian Lumu Lukusa, UDPS youth league vice president, insisted the protest had minimal impact and claimed daily life continued normally in the capital.

“Despite attempts by some opposition figures to incite violence, citizens ignored their calls. I tell you plainly—the city of Kinshasa is fully operational,” Lukusa stated.

He reiterated the government’s commitment to pushing forward with constitutional changes, arguing they serve national modernization needs.

“The constitutional reform will proceed because it responds to a national necessity and our desire to modernize our institutions,” Lukusa affirmed.

Referendum proposal deepens political divide

Lukusa confirmed that the reform package would be put to a referendum, following the National Assembly’s approval of the referendum bill on May 27. The opposition continues to denounce the move as illegal under the current constitution, setting the stage for further confrontation in the coming weeks.