Protesters calling for Democratic Republic of Congo President Joseph Kabila to resign and hold elections burned tires on Friday in the streets of the opposition stronghold of Lubumbashi, and police fired tear gas to disperse them, U.N.-backed Radio Okapi reported. The radio station reported that police had tried to break up the evening demonstration by local members of the UDPS, the Central African country's main opposition party, led by newly returned exile Etienne Tshisekedi. However, donors and Western powers have pressured Kabila not to remain in power beyond when his mandate runs out on Dec. 19. Kabila won disputed elections in 2006 and 2011 after succeeding his assassinated father, Laurent, in 2001. Dozens were killed in January 2015 in protests over a proposed revision of the electoral law.

Source: Egypt Independent September 16, 2016 23:37 UTC