Police in the Democratic Republic of Congo broke up an opposition rally outside parliament in the capital Kinshasa on Friday, firing tear gas as clashes erupted between government supporters and demonstrators protesting a proposed constitutional change that could allow President Félix Tshisekedi to remain in power beyond his two-term limit.

The rally was organised by C64, a broad opposition coalition formed in May that has united previously divided opposition parties around a single cause: blocking what they describe as an attempt by Tshisekedi to extend his hold on power. Among those injured in the violence was prominent opposition leader Martin Fayulu, footage showing him bloodied around the eyes and shirt as supporters rushed to assist him. Fellow opposition figure Prince Epenge was also slightly wounded.

The protests centre on a bill currently before the National Assembly that would permit the president to amend constitutional provisions — including those governing term limits — in the event of a declared "major dysfunction" paralyzing state institutions, potentially after a referendum. The DRC's existing constitution explicitly bars any revision of presidential term limits. Tshisekedi, 62, whose second five-year term is due to end in 2028, has publicly stated he would accept a third term "if the people wish it."

The confrontation adds to a deepening sense of political crisis in the DRC, a vast country in central Africa that is already grappling with a resurgence of fighting by the Rwanda-backed M23 rebel group — a conflict that has destabilised the country's east for decades — as well as a fresh Ebola outbreak. C64 has warned that the proposed constitutional changes represent a "serious threat" to national stability, and Friday's events suggest tensions are rising sharply as the bill advances through parliament.

The coming weeks are likely to be a critical test of both the government's political strategy and the opposition's ability to maintain pressure. With the country already stretched by war and disease, the prospect of a prolonged dispute over the constitutional order carries significant risks for a nation of nearly 100 million people whose institutions have historically struggled to manage political transitions peacefully.