A high court has determined Kabila can stay in office until a new leader is elected.
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According to the State Department official, Washington made it clear to Congo’s leaders that the election process had to be inclusive and that they had to abide by the constitution and agreements among political parties.
Gunshots could be heard Tuesday in Kinshasa as tensions rose.
“We’ve also received credible reports that protesters have killed at least six police officers and a [ruling party] PPRD supporter and they have also burned and looted several shops and police stations”, Sawyer said.
A Reuters witness saw police fire into the crowd in the suburb of Limete, but was unable to immediately confirm if anyone was killed or wounded.
Almost 200 people were believed to have been arrested on Monday and the United Nations received reports of excessive use of force by security forces, United Nations human rights spokesman Rupert Colville told reporters in Geneva.
The US also tasked the DRC authorities to sanction any individuals who are responsible for perpetrating violence or repression, adding that the US “remains ready to impose additional targeted sanctions”. In a statement, they said more than 50 people have been killed in the clashes.
The Ministry of Interior announced late in the evening that 17 people have been killed including 3 policemen and 14 civilians.
At least two people were killed after attacks on the headquarters of five opposition parties late Monday, the United Nations and an opposition party said.
The violence was focused outside the ruling party office in the capital.
“We will seek worldwide justice”, he said.
Government spokesman Lambert Mende called the demonstrations a pre-meditated criminal act, Associated Press reports. Tshisekedi went on to say that the DRC is a dictatorship and he says this government deserves the popular revolt that is coming to topple it. Kabila, in power since 2001 and who has served two elected terms, is barred by the constitution from seeking a third term. The resource-wealthy country has never experienced a peaceful transition and the political violence carries the fear that a civil war that left almost four million people dead between 1996 and 2003 may resurface.
People stand near burning debris during election protests in Kinshasa, Democratic Republic of Congo, Monday, Sept. 19, 2016.
The head of the UN Organization Stabilization Mission in the Democratic Republic of the Congo, or MONUSCO, urged everyone “to exercise maximum restraint”.
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Over 50 people, including two police officers, were reported dead on Monday in clashes between protesters and security forces in the capital.
