DR Congo: Police clash with anti-Kabila demonstrators

By Godfrey Olukya

ARU, Democratic Republic of Congo (AA) - Clashes erupted Monday in the capital, Kinshasa between the police and opposition demonstrators demanding President Joseph Kabila stand down when his term of office ends in December.

''The opposition has called for a demonstration to demand the electoral commission to organize and hold a presidential election [before the year ends] as provided in the Constitution,'' said the opposition party, Union for Democracy and Social Progress (UDPS) mobilizer Robert Elanga.

The demonstrators, consisting mostly of young men, burnt tires on the streets and pavements, according to a criminal investigations officer in Kinshasa.

'Groups of young men assembled at Lumumba Street and started burning tires. When police approached them, they started to pelt them with stones. Police used teargas and they [the protesters] fled," Louis Mbura said.

The demonstrators set some vehicles on fire as they fled and incidents of looting have also been reported, he added.

According to Mbura, the main rally was supposed to take place on Triumphal Street but the police dispersed the crowd.

He went on to say that an unidentified number of people have also been arrested in the city.

Minor demonstrations have also reportedly taken place in the municipalities of Ndjili, Lemba, Limete and Bandal.

In downtown Kinshasa, public and private companies and schools closed down as the riots kicked off.

The electoral commission recently petitioned the Constitutional Court requesting that it is allowed to postpone presidential elections amid ongoing voter registration.