Kinshasa, April 20th, 2026 (CPA). – The Union for Democracy and Social Progress (UDPS), the ruling party in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC), has announced that it will hold a commemoration next Friday in Kinshasa to mark the 36th anniversary of the country’s democratisation, in tribute to Etienne Tshisekedi, its founder, according to a statement consulted on Monday.
“To mark the 36thanniversary of the democratisation of the political landscape in the Democratic Republic of Congo, the Presidency of the Union for Democracy and Social Progress (UDPS/Tshisekedi) is organising a solemn ceremony in tribute to our founding father, Dr Etienne Tshisekedi wa Mulumba,” it is read.
For the UDPS, in fact, this ceremony, scheduled for Friday, April 24th, 2026, at 2:00 pm on the esplanade of the UDPS/Tshisekedi national headquarters located on 11th Street in the municipality of Limete, will serve to honour Etienne Tshisekedi’s historic struggle for the establishment of the rule of law in the country.
“This commemoration aims to honour Dr Etienne Tshisekedi’s historic struggle for the establishment of the rule of law and to welcome the realisation of this ideal through the UDPS/Tshisekedi’s accession to the highest office, under the leadership of His Excellency Felix Antoine Tshisekedi Tshilombo, President of the Republic and Head of State,” has specified the same press release signed by Augustin Kabuya, acting president and general secretary of this political party.
According to the programme published by the organisers of this ceremony, the event will feature speeches and the screening of significant archive footage retracing the major stages of this struggle for democracy. The UDPS/Tshisekedi Presidency has, furthermore, invited activists, party officials and all democrats who cherish freedom and justice to take part in this moment of remembrance and loyalty to the ideals of its founding father. The UDPS has been founded on February 15th, 1982, in DRC (formerly Zaire) by Etienne Tshisekedi and twelve other parliamentarians (the 13 parliamentarians). Created under a one-party regime, this party, then a historic opposition force, has fought for democracy and the establishment of the rule of law before coming to power in 2019.