Main DR Congo opposition party walks out of talks

The Democratic Republic of Congo's main opposition says it has broken off talks with President Joseph Kabila ahead of elections.

Kabila, in office since 2001, is constitutionally ineligible for next year's poll as he nears the end of a second elected term, but his foes accuse him of wanting to stay in power.

He launched "consultations" in June with opposition groups but only the Union for Democracy and Social Progress (UDPS) agreed to attend, with two other sizeable groups boycotting them.

There is widespread suspicion among opposition parties and human rights groups that Kabila's clan is manouevring to enable him to serve another term.

Veteran UDPS president Etienne Tshisekedi, 82, issued a statement from his home in Brussels late Sunday, saying the talks had failed and that he had called on his party's delegates "to withdraw immediately from the negotiating table".

Tshisekedi, who was defeated by Kabila in a 2011 election which observers said was marred by fraud, urged all political and social forces to fight for the organisation of a "credible" electoral process in a peaceful and consensual manner with a view to a "peaceful transfer of power".

But the veteran who had long challenged late dictator Mobuto Sese Seko, overthrown by Kabila's father in 1997, gave no indication as to what had specifically prompted the weekend decision by the UDPS.

Prior to Kabila's June offer of talks, Tshisikedi had declared himself the rightful president and had refused to negotiate with his rival.

Tension had been in the air even before the UPDS pulled the plug on the consultations 14 months before the scheduled poll.

Kabila himself has given nothing away regarding his future intentions.

Other key opposition groups, the Movement for the Liberation of the Congo (MLC) and the Union for the Congolese nation (UNC), both refused to attend the talks.

Each party is calling for demonstrations Tuesday in Kinshasa to denounce any effort by Kabila to hang onto power and prevent a peaceful transition to a newly elected regime.

Source: AFP