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DR Congo suspends league until further notice to curtail violence

The Democratic Republic of Congo has suspended its top-flight football league for one month over fears of match violence, the sports minister said Wednesday, amid high political tensions.

The move comes amidst fears that the end of President Joseph Kabila's mandate next week will spark violence.

"The suspension of the national football championship from December 15 to January 14 (is justified by fears of) pitch invasions (or) stone throwing" during the match, Yold AFP, warning of "provocation".

"The clubs' leaders seem to be overwhelmed by the task of controlling supporters," he added, referring to recent clashes between supporters and police in the Congolese capital Kinshasa.

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In May 2014, at least 15 people were killed in violence following a top-flight fixture.

In recent months supporters of local clubs and the national side have used fixtures to sing chants against long-time President Joseph Kabila, such as "yebela!"("watch out!") and "mandat esili" ("your mandate is over").

Kabila triggered a political crisis in October by agreeing a deal with a fringe opposition group that effectively lets him extend his hold on power for at least another year. He would otherwise have been due to step down next week.

More than 50 people died in September protests against Kabila's rule, leading authorities to ban all political protest in Kinshasa until January.

Read more: Black Stars

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Kabila, 45, first took office in 2001 after the assassination of his father Laurent-Desire Kabila and a 2006 constitutional provision limited the presidency to two terms.

Kabila is required by constitutional term limits to step down on 19 December but he has said he plans to stay on until at least April 2018, the earliest the government says an election originally planned for last month can be organised.

His opponents accuse him of deliberately delaying the vote to cling to power - a charge he denies - and have vowed street protests to force him from office.

More than 50 people died in demonstrations in September over election delays and there are fears protests this month could spark widespread violence.

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