As electoral campaigns begin,
DRC Bishops pledge to stand by the people
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| DRC's CENCO President with CENCO Secretary-General Fr Nshole. |
The DRC Bishops through the National Episcopal Conference of
Congo, CENCO, currently meeting in an extraordinary plenary assembly, from 20
to 22 November 2018 in Kinshasa say they are evaluating the national electoral
climate.
Marie José Muando Buabualo - Vatican City
On the eve of the start of official campaigning in that
country, for the general elections scheduled for 23 December 2018, the
Congolese Catholic Bishops Conference (CENCO) says it is meeting in an
extraordinary plenary in its role as "Prophet and Shepherd.
In an exclusive interview, this week, the Secretary-General
of CENCO, Fr Donatien Nshole told Marie José Muando Buabualo of Vatican News’
French Africa Service that the Bishops believe it is necessary for them to meet
and take stock, evaluate the electoral process, give guidance, and make
recommendations in order to “improve what can be improved.” The Bishops also
reaffirm that as Shepherds they will always be on the side of the people.
Herewith excerpts of the interview:
Marie José:
Is the electoral process in any danger?
Abbe Nshole:
Already last June, the National Episcopal Conference of
Congo, CENCO, sent a vibrant message: "Save the electoral process."
At the time, the Bishops felt that the electoral process was in danger in light
of some concerns, and made proposals towards those concerns. For this new
extraordinary plenary assembly, each Bishop will take stock of what is
happening in his own diocese concerning the electoral process. Subsequently,
"a common understanding will emerge. They will focus on concerns such as
the (Electronic) Voting Machines; the electoral register -achievements and
failures of this development and so on. It is on the basis of all these matters
that pastoral recommendations will be made at the end of the meeting.
Marie José:
What do the Bishops have to say on the question of the
Congolese Opposition political parties?
Abbe Nshole:
After their Geneva meeting in Switzerland, the Congolese
Opposition signed an agreement on 11 November 2018, designating Martin Fayulu
as the opposition's joint candidate for the presidential election of 23
December 2018. The agreement was shattered in just 24 hours after the signing
as Felix Tshisekedi and Vital Kamerhe, withdrew their signatures.
It is not the role of the Bishops to put forward or indicate
a strategy for the Opposition.
Marie José:
How would you then characterise the role of the Bishops in
this election?
Abbe Nshole:
The Congolese Bishops are here to help ensure that the
fundamentals of a credible (electoral) organisation are taken into account in
the Congolese context. They invite each political actor to assume his or her
responsibilities vis-à-vis national commitments. The Bishops stress that the
most important thing for the Congolese people is to know what attitude to adopt
and how to conduct themselves so that these elections restore power back to the
people.
Catholic Bishops of the Democratic Republic of Congo do not
intend to abandon the Congolese people. The Bishops are on the side of the
people, whom they also invite to remain engaged with the process.
The Bishops have never pretended to take the place of
politicians. As Shepherds, they have however said they will never cross their
arms and will never be silent whenever they can do something in the sense of
improving the living conditions of the Congolese people. In the context of the
Democratic Republic of Congo, this necessarily involves the consolidation of
democracy
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