Title: “The crisis between President Félix Tshisekedi and the Catholic Church: a political conflict in the DRC”
Introduction:
In a video released recently, a group posing as being close to President Félix Tshisekedi announced that they had filed a complaint against certain Catholic bishops in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC). This action comes to aggravate the tensions already present between the Tshisekedi regime and the Catholic Church, thus underlining an increasingly worrying political conflict in the country.
The context:
For some time, quarrels have broken out between President Tshisekedi and the Catholic Church in the DRC. During a visit to Mbuji-Mayi, Tshisekedi expressed concerns about what he sees as “deviations” within the Church, which could endanger the stability of the country. These remarks were misunderstood by some members of the Church, who see it as interference in religious affairs.
The complaint filed:
In the video, the group calling themselves the “Nzoyi” claim to have filed a complaint against Bishops André-Joseph Ambongo, Fulgence Muteba, Blaise Kanda and Donatien Nsholé, accusing them of “complicating the regime”. They say they want to put an end to these “individuals who make our life difficult in this country”, without specifying how they actually complicate the regime.
The reaction of the Church:
The National Episcopal Conference of Congo, representing the Catholic Church in the DRC, quickly reacted to this complaint, saying that it was baseless and that it had not been officially notified to the bishops concerned. The bishops also defended themselves, saying they had only defended the interests of the Congolese people and acted according to their religious convictions.
Growing political conflict:
This new episode of conflict between President Tshisekedi and the Catholic Church highlights the increasingly pronounced tensions between the two parties. While the Church traditionally plays an important role in the political and social life of the DRC, the Tshisekedi regime seems to want to exercise greater control over religious affairs. This situation raises concerns about religious freedom and the autonomy of the Church.
Conclusion:
The complaint filed by a group posing as close to President Tshisekedi against Catholic bishops in the DRC testifies to a growing political conflict between the regime and the Catholic Church. As tensions persist, it becomes essential to preserve religious freedom and find peaceful solutions to guarantee the stability of the country. From a human rights perspective, it is important that political and religious disputes be resolved with respect for freedom of conscience and religion, in order to foster harmony and social cohesion in the DRC