Congo’s President Warns Next Elections Can’t Take Place Unless the Conflict in the East Is Resolved

President Félix Tshisekedi has warned that the Democratic Republic of Congo may not be able to hold national elections in 2028 unless peace and stability are restored in the conflict-ridden eastern provinces, where fighting involving the Rwanda-backed M23 rebels continues to escalate.

In a televised national address on Wednesday, Tshisekedi said elections could not proceed if large parts of North Kivu and South Kivu remained outside effective state control. The president stressed that the issue was not financial, insisting the government had the resources needed to organise polls, but security conditions made voting impossible in the war-hit regions.

Eastern Congo’s conflict sharply intensified in January 2025 when the M23 rebels seized Goma , followed by the capture of Bukavu in February. The violence has killed nearly 3,000 people and displaced around 7 million others, worsening one of the world’s largest humanitarian crises. International observers say the conflict is also tied to competition over Congo’s vast mineral wealth, including cobalt and coltan deposits critical to global technology industries.

Tshisekedi, currently serving his constitutionally final second term, also suggested he could seek a third term if the Congolese people demanded it through a constitutional referendum. His remarks drew swift condemnation from opposition leaders, who accused him of using the security crisis to justify remaining in power beyond constitutional limits.

The political tensions come as the United States recently imposed sanctions on former president Joseph Kabila, accusing him of supporting rebel-linked destabilisation efforts in eastern Congo.

Despite US-backed peace initiatives and regional diplomatic efforts, the conflict remains unresolved, raising growing concerns over Congo’s democratic future and regional stability.