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KINSHASA – The influence of the Catholic Church took part in the election scramble on Sunday as the Democratic Republic of the Congo geared up for the decisive presidential election next month to choose the successor of former leader Joseph Kabila.
Addressing several thousand people attending Mass, the new Archbishop of Kinshasa, Fridolin Ambongo, "launched a vibrant appeal to the patriotic conscience of our people … not to succumb to provocation and especially to violence during this presidential campaign ".
Instead, he called for national unity before a crucial vote in an unstable and poverty-ridden country, which outgoing President Kabila has led from an iron fist since 2001.
Ambongo, who succeeded the charismatic Laurent Monsengwo three weeks ago, used his outdoor mass to urge voters not to have a discriminatory pick-up truck in any form, be it ethnic or political.
Two of the three main candidates for Kabila's place were in the congregation: Emmanuel Ramazani Shadary, successor to Kabila, chosen by hand, and Martin Fayulu.
Little known, Fayulu was supposed to be a candidate from the opposition of the unit until a fortnight ago when Felix Tshisekedi, son of the most famous opposition of the DRC, Etienne Tshisekedi, who died last year, announced that he would appear before the former president of the National Assembly. Vital Kamerhe.
This decision leaves the opposition weakened.
& # 39; Campaign in the hands of God & # 39;
Catholics have long called for the departure of Kabila, who clung to power despite the official expiry of his term in December 2016. Three rallies organized by the Catholic Church earlier this year have killed 15 people in total.
The election has already been postponed twice, but next month, a strong electorate of 40 million people will have to choose between 21 candidates, who usually do not lose any opportunity to put forward their pro-ecclesial references.
Shadary is notably described as a practicing Catholic when he announced that he was appearing on August 8th.
"Comrade Ramazani Shadary is above all a fervent Christian. He placed his campaign in the hands of God, "said Jean-Claude Kazembe Musonda, head of the pro-Kabila pro-Congo Common Front (FCC).
But Kamerhe does not need to take the party in power, said Kamerhe, who said: "Before God and the Congolese people, I decided to support Felix Tshisekedi.
Tshisekedi promised to restore the rule of law, fight corruption and restore peace in the east of a country ravaged in the east by decades of interethnic massacres and violence. violence perpetrated by militias, and has recently been affected by a deadly epidemic of Ebola. .
Bishops do not support a candidate
The vote is on the political future of a mineral-rich country that has never experienced a peaceful transition of power since Belgium's independence in 1960.
Although Tshisekedi and Fayulu may represent the opinion of the opposition, they pray in the same Protestant church in Kinshasa.
On Friday, Congolese bishops called for "credible elections for a genuine democratic alternative," while stressing that they did not support any particular candidate, they were only looking for a leader who "would respect the basic laws and be a man of his word." , honest and of good character, does not expropriate the resources of the country ".
The bishops said that the country has long suffered from abuse of power "to the detriment of the collective well-being".
About 40% of the DRC's population is Catholic, a similar proportion of Protestants and about 10% Muslims, while others are "kimbanguists", according to a prophet from the city of Nkamba, in the south. west of the country.
The church's influence became evident when, at the end of 2016, the Episcopal Conference negotiated a peace deal that temporarily kept Kabila in power while waiting for an election, which will no longer be in a few weeks.
– Nampa-AFP
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