Catholic bishops set agenda for reelected DR Congo president

Catholic bishops of the Democratic Republic of the Congo while highlighting significant irregularities, legal violations, and incidents of violence in the recently concluded general elections are urging President Felix Tshisekedi to actively pursue efforts for the unity and territorial integrity of the country grappling with conflict.

Tshisekedi in the December 20 general elections secured an overwhelming 73% of the votes, according to the National Election Commission. However, the win has been surrounded by controversy, with opposition candidates contesting the results, alleging fraud during the polls and refusing to accept them. 

The bishops in a statement noted that numerous serious irregularities that characterized the voting process, including malfunctioning voting devices, unopened polling stations, instances of vote buying, theft of polling materials, inadequate electoral lists, and ballot stuffing was an electoral catastrophe that has left the Congolese people disillusioned and traumatized.

The bishops said that, as confirmed by international observers, the elections were tainted by fraud, large-scale corruption, vandalism, incitement to violence, illegal detention of electronic voting devices, vote-buying, intolerance, and attacks on human rights, human life, and the dignity of people.

The bishops called on Tshisekedi, who was sworn in on January 20, to be the guarantor of national unity and territorial integrity and that they are willing to contribute to help him succeed in his second and final term for the benefit of the Congolese people.

The Catholic bishops also called on the government to take the necessary and urgent measures to discourage xenophobia and tribalism, which marked the electoral campaign, and to put in place a political mechanism to strengthen national cohesion.