The Democratic Republic of Congo has banned mass gatherings in its capital, Kinshasa, and three other provinces in an effort to contain the spread of the Ebola virus. The interior minister announced the measure, which affects the city of 18 million people, despite no confirmed cases of the disease in Kinshasa.
The current Ebola outbreak has been detected in three eastern provinces, approximately 1,800 kilometers (1,100 miles) from Kinshasa. The ban also extends to Tshopo, Haut-Uele, and Bas-Uele provinces, which border the affected regions. Authorities fear the highly contagious virus could reach the densely populated capital.
Opposition figures have criticized the government's decision, asserting it is politically motivated to stifle a planned protest march on July 8. Prince Epenge, spokesperson for the opposition Lamuka coalition, called the order "political" and "not legitimate," noting the absence of confirmed Ebola cases in Kinshasa. Rodrigue Ramazani, secretary-general of the opposition party Envol, urged protesters to disregard the ban, describing the directive as a "political manoeuvre rather than a public health measure."
The demonstration was organized by the C64 coalition, an alliance opposing a proposed law that critics claim could allow President Felix Tshisekedi to exceed his two-term limit. The DR Congo government has not yet responded to these criticisms.
While Kinshasa remains free of confirmed Ebola cases, a doctor who tested positive for the virus in France had passed through the capital on his return from an Ebola treatment center in one of the outbreak's epicenters. Medical personnel continue efforts to manage the outbreak, with health workers implementing diagnostic and containment procedures.