Why do some African leaders gamble with term limits?

Parliament in the Democratic Republic of Congo has approved legislation that sets out how a national referendum could be conducted to amend the constitution — a step that could enable President Felix Tshisekedi to seek a third term. The bill has provoked widespread demonstrations across the country, with protesters denouncing the measure and critics saying it amounts to an attempt to cling to power.

Fears over a third-term bid hinge on the need for both a constitutional change and a successful referendum. The newly passed parliamentary legislation establishes the procedures for that referendum, and opponents have mobilised in response, framing the move as a challenge to established term limits.

Observers note the timing of this political dispute against a difficult backdrop: the DRC is simultaneously dealing with a long-running conflict in its eastern provinces and a rapidly spreading Ebola outbreak. Those ongoing crises add pressure to an already fragile situation and contribute to worries that a constitutional confrontation could further destabilise the country.

The developments have attracted regional and international attention and prompted analysis of why the president might pursue another term and what the wider consequences could be. The issue was the focus of a discussion featuring political analysts and regional experts, including Kambale Musavuli of the Center for Research on the Congo-Kinshasa, Richard Moncrieff of the International Crisis Group, and Oluwole Ojewale of the Institute for Security Studies, with Folly Bah Thibault presenting the segment.