19 January 2015 DRC protests

On 19 January 2015, protests led by students at the University of Kinshasa broke out in the Democratic Republic of the Congo. The protests began following the announcement of a proposed law that would allow the country's 43-year-old president, Joseph Kabila, to remain in power until a national census could be conducted. Elections had been planned for 2016 and a census would be a massive undertaking that would likely take several years for the developing country.

2015 Congolese protests
Senate of the Democratic Republic of the Congo in session on 22 January 2015.
Date19–25 January 2015
Location
Kinshasa, Bukavu, Goma, Lubumbashi
Caused by
  • legislation proposed that would allow the country's president, Joseph Kabila, to remain in power indefinitely until a national census was completed
Goals
  • Political reforms, mainly discontinuation of the president's term
Methods
  • Protests
  • Demonstrations
Resulted in
  • Congolese Senate passed a law omitting controversial census clause, opposition called off further protests
Parties
  • Student protesters
  • General public protesters
Congolese government
Lead figures
Casualties
Death(s)27 (government claim) – 42 deaths (Reuters claim) 36 confirmed by Human Rights Watch

By 21 January, clashes between police and protesters had claimed at least 42 lives (although the government claimed only 15 people had been killed, most by security guards while looting; the government later adjusted that figure to 27 killed). As a result of the protests the government closed certain radio stations, and cut all internet, SMS and 3G communication in the country on 20 January.

Following a series of meetings between foreign diplomats and Congolese government officials, the Congolese Senate passed the law, omitting the controversial census clause, and the opposition called off further protests.

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