AFRICA/DR CONGO - The Bishops: "We reiterate our opposition to a possible third term of the current President"

Saturday, 26 May 2018 elections   bishops  

Kinshasa (Agenzia Fides) - "We need to organize credible, transparent and inclusive elections for the stability of the Country", reiterated the Secretary General of the National Episcopal Conference of Congo (CENCO), Fr. Donatien Nshole, on May 24, 2018, in a press conference at the Inter-diocesan Center of Kinshasa.
"CENCO is satisfied with the main phases of the electoral calendar, which have been respected, and of the statements of the Independent Electoral Commission (CENI) and government that reassure that the presidential elections, national and provincial legislative elections, will be held on December 23" said Fr. Nshole, who however added that CENCO is very concerned about "the inertia in the implementation of some provisions of the Agreement of December 31, 2016 and the statements of some politicians who move away from the Constitution and the New Year's Eve Agreement, the only roadmap to peacefully bring the Country out of the crisis. "This is a clear reference to statements of some politicians regarding the possibility of another mandate for President Joseph Kabila.
According to the Congolese episcopate, "these statements, motivated by the interests of their authors and not by the Head of State, should be discouraged by those who love Congo, because they can easily lead to prejudicial violence for the peace and stability of the DRC and the entire sub-region".
Finally, on the use of the electoral machines, the Bishops note that the controversy over their reliability does not reassure the holding of the elections under the right conditions, and they hope that the certification of the machines can be concluded before the end of July. (L.M.) (Agenzia Fides, 26/5/2018)


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