The Rise of the Street: The Population of Kinshasa as an Unpredictable Actor in the Electoral Process

Abstract:

The protests that broke in January 2015 in various cities in the Democratic Republic of the Congo, or DRC, over proposed changes to the electoral law demonstrated the important role that disaffected urban populations could come to play in the forseen elections in the country. Frustrated with precarious socio-economic living conditions and a regime that was increasingly perceived as unrepresentative and unresponsive to the needs and aspirations of the population, there was a real risk of more large-scale violence. While it was impossible to predict if, when and how such violence would erupt, three possible trigger factors were: unmet electoral deadlines, police repression of mass gatherings (to protest, celebrate, mourn, or demonstrate over socioeconomic issues…), and the escalation of trivial incidents.