Thousands of supporters of President Felix Tshisekedi's Union for Democracy and Social Progress (UDPS) and allied parties rallied in Kinshasa on Tuesday to back a national dialogue and calls for constitutional change.
Marchers waving party flags moved through the city, with acting UDPS president Augustin Kabuya joining the procession. Police escort the march, while participants are also seen flashing peace signs before gathering for the rally.
Party member Ferdinand Mosengo said the demonstration was also intended to show support for state institutions, national unity and territorial integrity.
"At the initiative of the UDPS Acting President, Mr Kabuya, partner parties were invited here today so that we could pledge our support for the national dialogue, for the Republic's institutions, and for the unity of the DRC; to reclaim the DRC's territorial integrity and reconcile the country's sons and daughters,"
Kabuya put constitutional change at the centre of his address, directly calling on Tshisekedi to act.
"Mr President of the Republic, the time has come for you to help us change this Constitution; the time has come for you to accept our wish to amend it. Refer to Article 5 of the Constitution: everything you do is on behalf of the people, and the people gathered here want to see you change the Constitution."
The party's acting president also voiced support for referendum legislation, the national dialogue and the country's armed forces.
"We came here with a single message: to demonstrate that we have agreed to support the Head of State and to back him in all his initiatives: to show total support for the country's institutions, to support the referendum legislation that will lead us to a constitutional change, to support the dialogue, and to support all the efforts of our FARDC forces at the front."
The mobilisation came a week after the opposition Coalition Article 64, or C64, marched in Kinshasa against constitutional change. The coalition, which includes Martin Fayulu, Moïse Katumbi, Jean-Marc Kabund, Augustin Matata Ponyo and Delly Sesanga, called on Congolese to oppose any attempt to rewrite the Constitution.
Kinshasa authorities approved Tuesday's march, organised in support of state institutions, referendum legislation and the national dialogue announced by Tshisekedi.
C64 warned that constitutional change could open the way for Tshisekedi to seek a third term, arguing that limits on presidential terms should not be circumvented through a referendum or the adoption of a new constitution.
Kabuya, meanwhile, pressed Tshisekedi to move ahead with constitutional change, invoking Article 5, which states that national sovereignty belongs to the people and may be exercised directly through a referendum.