Congolese security forces shot dead at least six people and fired tear gas to disperse a banned protest against President Joseph Kabila organised by the Catholic Church on Sunday, a UN peacekeeping mission in the country said.

Kabila's refusal to step down at the end of his mandate in December 2016 has triggered a series of street protests in which scores have been killed in Kinshasa. It has also emboldened armed rebel groups in different parts of the country.

A Reuters witness saw police and paramilitary troops fire volleys of tear gas and shoot into the air on Sunday outside the Notre Dame cathedral in the capital Kinshasa.

Florence Marchal, spokesman for the UN mission (MONUSCO), also said 57 people were wounded and dozens of arrests had been made across the country. As well as Kinshasa, protests erupted in the central Congolese diamond-mining town of Mbuji-Mayi, in the eastern cities of Goma, Lubumbashi and several other places.

"We haven't yet established the nature or cause of the injuries," Marchal added. A police spokesman did not respond to a request for comment.

The instability has stoked fears that the vast, mineral-rich Democratic Republic of Congo could slide back into the wars that killed millions in the 1990s, mostly from hunger and disease.

"I marched today for a simple reason: I want to bring up my children in a country that respects human rights," protester Pascal Kabeya, a 40-year-old market trader, told Reuters where a few hundred had gathered in a suburb of Kinshasa.

"Kabila has done his two terms. He should leave now and give a chance to someone else".

'We will use force'

The chief of police for Kinshasa city General Sylvano Kasongo Kitenge had warned in a statement overnight that the protest was banned and that "no attempt to disturb public order will be tolerated anywhere in Kinshasa."

Kasongo, surrounded by several armed police, visited the road leading to Notre Dame where a protest was happening, ordering everyone to go home, a Reuters witness saw.

"Mass is over, the priests should now go home, and everybody else should go home. If you refuse, we will use force and shoot tear gas, let that be very clear," he told them.

The violence echoed that of New Year's Eve, when Congolese forces killed at least seven people in the capital during a protest by Catholic activists..

Under a deal mediated between the church and Kabila's opponents, the president was to step down at the end of last year, paving the way for an election early this year. But he reneged on the deal and the poll has been repeatedly delayed --

 it is currently loosely scheduled for the end of 2018.

Diplomats, including the United States, British and Swiss embassies had all put out statements encouraging the Congolese to march to pressure Kabila to respect the deal.

"We applaud Congolese citizens exercising their constitutional right to assemble peacefully in support of the full implementation of the," the US and British

 embassies said in a joint statement. "Those who do not protect these rights must be held accountable."

The Roman Catholic Church has emerged as a harness for opposition to Kabila's efforts to stay in power with no mandate, while his political opposition remains feeble and fragmented.

Kabila, who has been president since his father was killed in office in 2001, blames the electoral delays on the logistics of voter registration.</s>KINSHASA (Reuters) - Congolese security forces shot dead at least six people and wounded dozens more as they fired tear gas to disperse a protest against President Joseph Kabila organised by the Catholic Church on Sunday, a U.N. peacekeeping mission in the country said.

Kabila’s refusal to step down at the end of his mandate in December 2016 has triggered a series of street protests in which scores have been killed in Kinshasa. It has also emboldened armed rebel groups in different parts of the country.

A Reuters witness saw police and paramilitary troops fire volleys of tear gas and shoot into the air on Sunday outside the Notre Dame cathedral in the capital Kinshasa.

Florence Marchal, spokeswoman for the U.N. mission (MONUSCO), also said 57 people were wounded and dozens of arrests had been made across the country. As well as Kinshasa, protests erupted in the central Congolese diamond-mining town of Mbuji-Mayi, in the eastern cities of Goma, Lubumbashi and several other places.

A police spokesman did not respond to a request for comment.

The instability has stoked fears that the vast, mineral-rich Democratic Republic of Congo could slide back into the wars that killed millions in the 1990s, mostly from hunger and disease.

“I marched today for a simple reason: I want to bring up my children in a country that respects human rights,” protester Pascal Kabeya, a 40-year-old market trader, told Reuters where a few hundred had gathered in a suburb of Kinshasa.

“Kabila has done his two terms. He should leave now and give a chance to someone else”.

The chief of police for Kinshasa city, General Sylvano Kasongo Kitenge, had warned in a statement overnight that the protest was banned and that “no attempt to disturb public order will be tolerated anywhere in Kinshasa.”

Kasongo, surrounded by several armed police, visited the road leading to Notre Dame where a protest was happening.

“Mass is over, the priests should now go home, and everybody else should go home. If you refuse, we will use force and shoot tear gas, let that be very clear,” he told them.

The violence echoed that of New Year’s Eve, when Congolese forces killed at least seven people in the capital during a protest by Catholic activists..

Under a deal mediated by the church between Kabila and his opponents, the president was to step down at the end of last year, paving the way for an election early this year. But he reneged on the deal and the poll has been repeatedly delayed -- it is currently loosely scheduled for the end of 2018.

Diplomats from the United States, British and Swiss embassies had all put out statements encouraging the Congolese to march to pressure Kabila to respect the deal.

“We applaud Congolese citizens exercising their constitutional right to assemble peacefully in support of the full implementation of the (agreement),” the U.S. and British embassies said in a joint statement. “Those who do not protect these rights must be held accountable.”

Congo’s influential Roman Catholic Church has emerged as a harness for opposition to Kabila, while his political opposition remains feeble and fragmented.

“I ask the authorities ... and all in this beloved country to put their best effort towards avoiding ... violence,” Pope Francis said of Congo’s crisis while in Peru on Sunday.

Kabila, who has been president since his father was killed in office in 2001, blames the electoral delays on the logistics of voter registration.</s>KINSHASA (Reuters) - Congolese security forces shot dead at least six people and fired tear gas to disperse a banned protest against President Joseph Kabila organized by the Catholic church on Sunday, a U.N. peacekeeping mission in the country said.

Kabila’s refusal to step down at the end of his mandate in December 2016 has triggered a series of street protests in which scores have been killed in Kinshasa. It has also emboldened armed rebel groups in different parts of the country.

A Reuters witness saw police and paramilitary troops fire volleys of tear gas and shoot into the air on Sunday outside the Notre Dame cathedral in the capital Kinshasa.

Florence Marchal, spokesman for the U.N. mission (MONUSCO), also said 57 people were wounded and dozens of arrests had been made across the country. As well as Kinshasa, protests erupted in the central Congolese diamond-mining town of Mbuji-Mayi, in the eastern cities of Goma, Lubumbashi and several other places.

“We haven’t yet established the nature or cause of the injuries,” Marchal added. A police spokesman did not respond to a request for comment.

The instability has stoked fears that the vast, mineral-rich Democratic Republic of Congo could slide back into the wars that killed millions in the 1990s, mostly from hunger and disease.

“I marched today for a simple reason: I want to bring up my children in a country that respects human rights,” protester Pascal Kabeya, a 40-year-old market trader, told Reuters where a few hundred had gathered in a suburb of Kinshasa.

“Kabila has done his two terms. He should leave now and give a chance to someone else”.

The chief of police for Kinshasa city General Sylvano Kasongo Kitenge had warned in a statement overnight that the protest was banned and that “no attempt to disturb public order will be tolerated anywhere in Kinshasa.”

Kasongo, surrounded by several armed police, visited the road leading to Notre Dame where a protest was happening, ordering everyone to go home, a Reuters witness saw.

“Mass is over, the priests should now go home, and everybody else should go home. If you refuse, we will use force and shoot tear gas, let that be very clear,” he told them.

The violence echoed that of New Year’s Eve, when Congolese forces killed at least seven people in the capital during a protest by Catholic activists..

Under a deal mediated between the church and Kabila’s opponents, the president was to step down at the end of last year, paving the way for an election early this year. But he reneged on the deal and the poll has been repeatedly delayed -- it is currently loosely scheduled for the end of 2018.

Diplomats, including the United States, British and Swiss embassies had all put out statements encouraging the Congolese to march to pressure Kabila to respect the deal.

“We applaud Congolese citizens exercising their constitutional right to assemble peacefully in support of the full implementation of the [agreement],” the U.S. and British embassies said in a joint statement. “Those who do not protect these rights must be held accountable.”

The Roman Catholic Church has emerged as a harness for opposition to Kabila’s efforts to stay in power with no mandate, while his political opposition remains feeble and fragmented.

Kabila, who has been president since his father was killed in office in 2001, blames the electoral delays on the logistics of voter registration.</s>Congolese security forces shot dead at least six people and fired tear gas to disperse a banned protest against President Joseph Kabila organized by the Catholic church on Sunday, a UN peacekeeping mission in the country said.

Kabila's refusal to step down at the end of his mandate in December 2016 has triggered a series of street protests in which scores have been killed in Kinshasa. It has also emboldened armed rebel groups in different parts of the country.

A Reuters witness saw police and paramilitary troops fire volleys of tear gas and shoot into the air on Sunday outside the Notre Dame cathedral in the capital Kinshasa.

Florence Marchal, spokesman for the UN mission (MONUSCO), also said 57 people were wounded and dozens of arrests had been made across the country. As well as Kinshasa, protests erupted in the central Congolese diamond-mining town of Mbuji-Mayi, in the eastern cities of Goma, Lubumbashi and several other places.

"We haven't yet established the nature or cause of the injuries," Marchal added. A police spokesman did not respond to a request for comment.

The instability has stoked fears that the vast, mineral-rich Democratic Republic of Congo could slide back into the wars that killed millions in the 1990s, mostly from hunger and disease.

"I marched today for a simple reason: I want to bring up my children in a country that respects human rights," protester Pascal Kabeya, a 40-year-old market trader, told Reuters where a few hundred had gathered in a suburb of Kinshasa.

"Kabila has done his two terms. He should leave now and give a chance to someone else."

"WE WILL USE FORCE"

The chief of police for Kinshasa city General Sylvano Kasongo Kitenge had warned in a statement overnight that the protest was banned and that "no attempt to disturb public order will be tolerated anywhere in Kinshasa."

Kasongo, surrounded by several armed police, visited the road leading to Notre Dame where a protest was happening, ordering everyone to go home, a Reuters witness saw.

"Mass is over, the priests should now go home, and everybody else should go home. If you refuse, we will use force and shoot tear gas, let that be very clear," he told them.

The violence echoed that of New Year's Eve, when Congolese forces killed at least seven people in the capital during a protest by Catholic activists..

Under a deal mediated between the church and Kabila's opponents, the president was to step down at the end of last year, paving the way for an election early this year. But he reneged on the deal and the poll has been repeatedly delayed – it is currently loosely scheduled for the end of 2018.

Diplomats, including the United States, British and Swiss embassies had all put out statements encouraging the Congolese to march to pressure Kabila to respect the deal.

"We applaud Congolese citizens exercising their constitutional right to assemble peacefully in support of the full implementation of the," the U.S. and British embassies said in a joint statement. "Those who do not protect these rights must be held accountable."

The Roman Catholic Church has emerged as a harness for opposition to Kabila's efforts to stay in power with no mandate, while his political opposition remains feeble and fragmented.

Kabila, who has been president since his father was killed in office in 2001, blames the electoral delays on the logistics of voter registration.</s>Kinshasa: Congolese security forces shot dead at least six people and wounded dozens more as they fired tear gas to disperse a protest against President Joseph Kabila organised by the Catholic Church on Sunday, a UN peacekeeping mission in the country said.

Kabila's refusal to step down at the end of his mandate in December 2016 has triggered a series of street protests in which scores have been killed in Kinshasa. It has also emboldened armed rebel groups in different parts of the country.

A Reuters witness saw police and paramilitary troops fire volleys of tear gas and shoot into the air on Sunday outside the Notre Dame cathedral in the capital Kinshasa.

Florence Marchal, spokeswoman for the UN mission (MONUSCO), also said 57 people were wounded and dozens of arrests had been made across the country. As well as Kinshasa, protests erupted in the central Congolese diamond-mining town of Mbuji-Mayi, in the eastern cities of Goma, Lubumbashi and several other places.

A police spokesman did not respond to a request for comment.

The instability has stoked fears that the vast, mineral-rich Democratic Republic of Congo could slide back into the wars that killed millions in the 1990s, mostly from hunger and disease.</s>KINSHASA (Reuters) - Congolese security forces shot dead at least six people and wounded dozens more as they fired tear gas to disperse a protest against President Joseph Kabila organized by the Catholic Church on Sunday, a U.N. peacekeeping mission in the country said.

Riot policemen fire teargas canisters to disperse demonstrators during a protest organised by Catholic activists in Kinshasa, Democratic Republic of Congo January 21, 2018. REUTERS/Kenny Katombe

Kabila’s refusal to step down at the end of his mandate in December 2016 has triggered a series of street protests in which scores have been killed in Kinshasa. It has also emboldened armed rebel groups in different parts of the country.

A Reuters witness saw police and paramilitary troops fire volleys of tear gas and shoot into the air on Sunday outside the Notre Dame cathedral in the capital Kinshasa.

Florence Marchal, spokeswoman for the U.N. mission (MONUSCO), also said 57 people were wounded and dozens of arrests had been made across the country. As well as Kinshasa, protests erupted in the central Congolese diamond-mining town of Mbuji-Mayi, in the eastern cities of Goma, Lubumbashi and several other places.

A police spokesman did not respond to a request for comment.

The instability has stoked fears that the vast, mineral-rich Democratic Republic of Congo could slide back into the wars that killed millions in the 1990s, mostly from hunger and disease.

“I marched today for a simple reason: I want to bring up my children in a country that respects human rights,” protester Pascal Kabeya, a 40-year-old market trader, told Reuters where a few hundred had gathered in a suburb of Kinshasa.

“Kabila has done his two terms. He should leave now and give a chance to someone else”.

“WE WILL USE FORCE”

The chief of police for Kinshasa city, General Sylvano Kasongo Kitenge, had warned in a statement overnight that the protest was banned and that “no attempt to disturb public order will be tolerated anywhere in Kinshasa.”

Kasongo, surrounded by several armed police, visited the road leading to Notre Dame where a protest was happening.

“Mass is over, the priests should now go home, and everybody else should go home. If you refuse, we will use force and shoot tear gas, let that be very clear,” he told them.

The violence echoed that of New Year’s Eve, when Congolese forces killed at least seven people in the capital during a protest by Catholic activists..

Under a deal mediated by the church between Kabila and his opponents, the president was to step down at the end of last year, paving the way for an election early this year. But he reneged on the deal and the poll has been repeatedly delayed — it is currently loosely scheduled for the end of 2018.

Diplomats from the United States, British and Swiss embassies had all put out statements encouraging the Congolese to march to pressure Kabila to respect the deal.

“We applaud Congolese citizens exercising their constitutional right to assemble peacefully in support of the full implementation of the (agreement),” the U.S. and British embassies said in a joint statement. “Those who do not protect these rights must be held accountable.”

Slideshow (7 Images)

Congo’s influential Roman Catholic Church has emerged as a harness for opposition to Kabila, while his political opposition remains feeble and fragmented.

“I ask the authorities ... and all in this beloved country to put their best effort toward avoiding ... violence,” Pope Francis said of Congo’s crisis while in Peru on Sunday.

Kabila, who has been president since his father was killed in office in 2001, blames the electoral delays on the logistics of voter registration.</s>Kinshasa: Congolese security forces shot dead at least six people and wounded dozens more as they fired tear gas to disperse a protest against President Joseph Kabila organised by the Catholic Church on Sunday, a UN peacekeeping mission in the country said.

Kabila's refusal to step down at the end of his mandate in December 2016 has triggered a series of street protests in which scores have been killed in Kinshasa. It has also emboldened armed rebel groups in different parts of the country.

A Reuters witness saw police and paramilitary troops fire volleys of tear gas and shoot into the air on Sunday outside the Notre Dame cathedral in the capital Kinshasa.

Florence Marchal, spokeswoman for the UN mission (MONUSCO), also said 57 people were wounded and dozens of arrests had been made across the country. As well as Kinshasa, protests erupted in the central Congolese diamond-mining town of Mbuji-Mayi, in the eastern cities of Goma, Lubumbashi and several other places.

A police spokesman did not respond to a request for comment.

The instability has stoked fears that the vast, mineral-rich Democratic Republic of Congo could slide back into the wars that killed millions in the 1990s, mostly from hunger and disease.</s>Hundreds of people have been arrested in a wide-ranging crackdown in the Democratic Republic of the Congo after fresh protests against the continued rule of President Joseph Kabila.

Security forces shot dead at least six people and wounded dozens more as they fired teargas to disperse demonstrations organised by the Catholic church on Sunday. Among the victims was a woman who had wanted to become a nun, local media reported. The detained include at least a dozen priests and nuns.

The protest was the latest in a series since Kabila refused to step down at the end of his mandate in December 2016. Scores of people have been killed in Kinshasa, the capital, and elsewhere across the central African country. The exact number of detentions is unclear but may be as high as 600.

Georges Kapiamba, of the Congolese Association for Access to Justice, said more than 200 people were detained over the weekend in Kinshasa.

Further detentions were reported in the central diamond-mining town of Mbuji-Mayi, the eastern cities of Goma and Lubumbashi, as well as several other places.

The demonstrations were organised by the Lay Coordination Committee of the DRC, a group backed by many priests and bishops in the majority-Catholic country.

On New Year’s Eve, Congolese forces killed at least seven people in Kinshasa during a protest by Catholic activists. Scores of people were arrested in the days leading up to those protests. Many of the detained were badly beaten.

The instability has stoked fears that the DRC could slide back into the wars that killed millions in the 1990s, mostly from hunger and disease.

Thousands of people have been killed and millions displaced in a growing conflict between militias across the south and east. Last month heavily armed militants killed 15 peacekeepers in east DRC in one of the worst attacks on UN personnel in recent memory.



Under a deal mediated by the church between Kabila and his opponents, the president was to step down at the end of last year, paving the way for an election early this year. But he reneged and the poll has been repeatedly delayed. It is now scheduled for December.



“Kabila does not have any intention to leave power … his strategy is to spread chaos across the country and then delay elections because he’ll claim there is too much violence,” said Félix Tshisekedi, a prominent opposition leader, in an interview with the Guardian last December.

Government officials and supporters of Kabila, who took power when his father was killed in office in 2001, have said the delays are down to the logistical difficulties of organising polls in a country the size of western Europe with limited infrastructure.

In recent months the Catholic church has emerged as a new force of opposition to Kabila. The president’s political opponents remain divided and weak.

Archbishops and bishops who make up the National Episcopal Conference of Congo (Cenco) have repeatedly told Kabila to declare he will not stand for a third mandate in any new polls. It published a declaration in June calling on the Congolese people to stand up and “take [their] destiny into their own hands”.

The bishops reiterated their appeal in a second declaration on 24 November and called on Kabila to release political prisoners, allow the return of exiled opposition leaders, reopen media outlets that have been forced to close and reform the national electoral commission.

The crisis has attracted limited international attention. Ida Sawyer, central Africa director at Human Rights Watch, said: “Kabila and his coterie appear ready to use all available means to crush, silence and eliminate any opposition to their efforts to stay in power. Before yet another round of deadly violence and repression, Congo’s international partners should show Kabila that further abuses will not be tolerated.”</s>Congolese security forces shot dead at least six people and wounded dozens more as they fired tear gas to disperse a protest against President Joseph Kabila organized by the Catholic Church on Sunday, a U.N. peacekeeping mission in the country said.

Kabila's refusal to step down at the end of his mandate in December 2016 has triggered a series of street protests in which scores have been killed in Kinshasa. It has also emboldened armed rebel groups in different parts of the country.

A Reuters witness saw police and paramilitary troops fire volleys of tear gas and shoot into the air on Sunday outside the Notre Dame cathedral in the capital Kinshasa.

Florence Marchal, spokeswoman for the U.N. mission (MONUSCO), also said 57 people were wounded and dozens of arrests had been made across the country. As well as Kinshasa, protests erupted in the central Congolese diamond-mining town of Mbuji-Mayi, in the eastern cities of Goma, Lubumbashi and several other places.

A police spokesman did not respond to a request for comment.

The instability has stoked fears that the vast, mineral-rich Democratic Republic of Congo could slide back into the wars that killed millions in the 1990s, mostly from hunger and disease.

"I marched today for a simple reason: I want to bring up my children in a country that respects human rights," protester Pascal Kabeya, a 40-year-old market trader, told Reuters where a few hundred had gathered in a suburb of Kinshasa.

"Kabila has done his two terms. He should leave now and give a chance to someone else".

REUTERS/Kenny Katombe Riot policemen parade before blocking demonstrators during a protest against President Joseph Kabila organized, by the Catholic church in Kinshasa, Democratic Republic of Congo January 21, 2018.

'We will use force'

The chief of police for Kinshasa city, General Sylvano Kasongo Kitenge, had warned in a statement overnight that the protest was banned and that "no attempt to disturb public order will be tolerated anywhere in Kinshasa."

Kasongo, surrounded by several armed police, visited the road leading to Notre Dame where a protest was happening.

The violence echoed that of New Year's Eve, when Congolese forces killed at least seven people in the capital during a protest by Catholic activists..

Under a deal mediated by the church between Kabila and his opponents, the president was to step down at the end of last year, paving the way for an election early this year. But he reneged on the deal and the poll has been repeatedly delayed -- it is currently loosely scheduled for the end of 2018.

Diplomats from the United States, British and Swiss embassies had all put out statements encouraging the Congolese to march to pressure Kabila to respect the deal.

"We applaud Congolese citizens exercising their constitutional right to assemble peacefully in support of the full implementation of the (agreement)," the U.S. and British embassies said in a joint statement. "Those who do not protect these rights must be held accountable."

REUTERS/Kenny Katombe Riot policemen fire teargas canisters to disperse demonstrators during a protest organised by Catholic activists in Kinshasa, Democratic Republic of Congo January 21, 2018.

Congo's influential Roman Catholic Church has emerged as a harness for opposition to Kabila, while his political opposition remains feeble and fragmented.

"I ask the authorities ... and all in this beloved country to put their best effort toward avoiding ... violence," Pope Francis said of Congo's crisis while in Peru on Sunday.

Kabila, who has been president since his father was killed in office in 2001, blames the electoral delays on the logistics of voter registration.

Writing by Tim Cocks, additional reporting by Caroline Stauffer in Lima; Editing by Matthew Mpoke Bigg and Elaine Hardcastle</s>KINSHASA (Reuters) - Congolese security forces shot dead at least six people and fired tear gas to disperse a banned protest against President Joseph Kabila organized by the Catholic church on Sunday, a U.N. peacekeeping mission in the country said.

Kabila’s refusal to step down at the end of his mandate in December 2016 has triggered a series of street protests in which scores have been killed in Kinshasa. It has also emboldened armed rebel groups in different parts of the country.

A Reuters witness saw police and paramilitary troops fire volleys of tear gas and shoot into the air on Sunday outside the Notre Dame cathedral in the capital Kinshasa.

Florence Marchal, spokesman for the U.N. mission (MONUSCO), also said 57 people were wounded and dozens of arrests had been made across the country. As well as Kinshasa, protests erupted in the central Congolese diamond-mining town of Mbuji-Mayi, in the eastern cities of Goma, Lubumbashi and several other places.

“We haven’t yet established the nature or cause of the injuries,” Marchal added. A police spokesman did not respond to a request for comment.

The instability has stoked fears that the vast, mineral-rich Democratic Republic of Congo could slide back into the wars that killed millions in the 1990s, mostly from hunger and disease.

“I marched today for a simple reason: I want to bring up my children in a country that respects human rights,” protester Pascal Kabeya, a 40-year-old market trader, told Reuters where a few hundred had gathered in a suburb of Kinshasa.

“Kabila has done his two terms. He should leave now and give a chance to someone else”.

The chief of police for Kinshasa city General Sylvano Kasongo Kitenge had warned in a statement overnight that the protest was banned and that “no attempt to disturb public order will be tolerated anywhere in Kinshasa.”

Kasongo, surrounded by several armed police, visited the road leading to Notre Dame where a protest was happening, ordering everyone to go home, a Reuters witness saw.

“Mass is over, the priests should now go home, and everybody else should go home. If you refuse, we will use force and shoot tear gas, let that be very clear,” he told them.

The violence echoed that of New Year’s Eve, when Congolese forces killed at least seven people in the capital during a protest by Catholic activists..

Under a deal mediated between the church and Kabila’s opponents, the president was to step down at the end of last year, paving the way for an election early this year. But he reneged on the deal and the poll has been repeatedly delayed -- it is currently loosely scheduled for the end of 2018.

Diplomats, including the United States, British and Swiss embassies had all put out statements encouraging the Congolese to march to pressure Kabila to respect the deal.

“We applaud Congolese citizens exercising their constitutional right to assemble peacefully in support of the full implementation of the [agreement],” the U.S. and British embassies said in a joint statement. “Those who do not protect these rights must be held accountable.”

The Roman Catholic Church has emerged as a harness for opposition to Kabila’s efforts to stay in power with no mandate, while his political opposition remains feeble and fragmented.

Kabila, who has been president since his father was killed in office in 2001, blames the electoral delays on the logistics of voter registration.
Congolese security forces kill at least six protesters and fire tear gas in Kinshasa. 57 people are wounded and dozens of arrests are made in protests across the country, notably in Mbuji-Mayi, Goma, Lubumbashi and several other places.