DR Congo Senate unanimously re-adopts referendum bill
By the AFREEQUE newsroom, based on Le Potentiel
The DR Congo Senate unanimously re-adopted, by 78 votes, the bill expanding and regulating the matters that may be put to a referendum. The vote followed the Constitutional Court’s reservations about 13 provisions of the text; this parliamentary stage had already been reported, according to Le Potentiel.
The Senate of the Democratic Republic of the Congo unanimously re-adopted the referendum bill, with all 78 senators who took part in the vote voting in favour, Le Potentiel reports. The vote took place on Saturday 31 October, during the ninth plenary sitting of the September 2026 budget session, chaired by Jean-Michel Sama Lukonde Kyenge.
The text was reconsidered after the High Court raised reservations about 13 of its provisions. The bill aims to expand the scope of the law of 22 June 2005 and clarify the rules governing the organisation of referendums, particularly for adopting a new Constitution or amending constitutional provisions. It must now be sent to the president of the Republic.
The Congolese Constitution provides for the use of referendums on certain issues, including the transfer of the capital, territorial changes and certain initiatives to revise the Constitution. The sitting also considered a report on social media.
