Kinshasa — September 2, 2026
The initiative by Democratic Republic of Congo President Félix-Antoine Tshisekedi to launch a national dialogue aimed at promoting unity and reconciliation is already facing political obstacles, even before it has fully begun.
Tshisekedi announced that the dialogue would last no longer than three months and would initially be held across the country’s 26 provinces, allowing citizens to contribute their views before the process concludes at the national level in Kinshasa.
According to the President, the initiative is intended to find solutions to the country’s political, security and governance challenges, while also rebuilding unity among the Congolese people.
However, the programme has already encountered a major challenge: a lack of trust among some political actors.
Opposition Remains Skeptical
The C64 coalition, which brings together opposition political parties, has rejected Tshisekedi’s initiative, arguing that a national dialogue should be jointly prepared and agreed upon by all stakeholders.
Opposition leaders fear that the dialogue could be used to advance the political interests of the ruling authorities, particularly at a time when the DRC continues to face debates over the country’s political direction and possible constitutional reforms.
This has raised concerns that an initiative intended to bring Congolese citizens together could instead begin without the trust needed to achieve its objectives.
On the other hand, Tshisekedi’s ruling party, the UDPS, has strongly supported the proposed dialogue, describing it as an opportunity to bring Congolese people together and find solutions to long-standing national challenges.
Other political figures aligned with the government have also welcomed the decision to begin consultations in the provinces, arguing that it gives citizens an opportunity to express their views on issues affecting their communities.
Tshisekedi has repeatedly insisted that the dialogue is not intended to divide government positions or share political power. Instead, he says it should focus on identifying the root causes of the challenges facing the country and finding lasting solutions.
AFC/M23: A Major Challenge for the Dialogue
The security crisis in eastern DRC is expected to be one of the most difficult issues facing the proposed dialogue.
Tshisekedi has stated that armed groups, particularly AFC/M23, will not participate in the national dialogue as political stakeholders.
Regarding the conflict involving the group, Kinshasa maintains that the Doha dialogue process should continue as the appropriate framework for addressing disputes between the government and AFC/M23.
This position is likely to continue generating debate over how the conflict in eastern DRC should be resolved, especially since one of the major actors involved in the war will not be represented in the national dialogue as a political participant.
Trust Will Determine the Outcome
At this stage, the main question is not whether the DRC needs dialogue. The country has faced long-standing security, political and reconciliation challenges that require different stakeholders to come together.
The more pressing question is how the dialogue will be organised, who will participate, and whether all parties will have confidence in its conclusions.
If the opposition continues to reject the initiative, AFC/M23 remains excluded as a political participant, and other groups maintain concerns about how the dialogue has been organised, Tshisekedi’s programme could struggle to achieve the broad consensus it was designed to build.
For President Tshisekedi, the first major test will therefore not simply be launching the dialogue. It will be convincing his political opponents and other stakeholders that the initiative belongs to the entire nation, rather than serving as an instrument of the current government’s political agenda.
BARAKA Esther
Rwandatribune.rw
