Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:

To ask Her Majesty's Government what representations they have made to the government of the Democratic Republic of the Congo regarding President Kabila remaining in office more than a year after the expiration of his constitutional term; and whether they have any plans to call for an independent inquiry into the deaths and injuries arising out of the peaceful anti-Kabila protests on 31 December 2017.

The former Minister for Africa, Rory Stewart MP, raised the importance of timely elections with President Kabila when he visited Kinshasa in November. The British Government has repeatedly called for President Kabila to honour both the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) Constitution and the 31 December agreement and conduct a peaceful transfer of power in DRC via credible elections. The UK, alongside regional and international partners, will continue to press the DRC authorities to adhere to their electoral commitment.

In a statement on 3 January, following the deaths of protestors on 31 December 2017, we called on the government to investigate and hold accountable security force members who fired on civilians or ordered the use of lethal force.