AFRICA/DR CONGO - The Bishops: "The well-being of the population must have priority in politics"

Kinshasa (Agenzia Fides) - "The well-being of the population must prevail over all other political considerations. No political compromise should call into question the need for the government to do everything it can to protect the well-being of the population", this is the heart of the message that the Congolese Bishops' Conference (CENCO), delivered to President Félix Tshisekedi during their meeting with the Head of State on November 9, 2020.
The government coalition in power since January 2019, including the politicians associated with the former head of state Joseph Kabila, is holding back Tshisekedi's intention to reform a country marked by corruption and human rights violations due to internal divisions.
To overcome the government crisis, President Tshisekedi wants to initiate consultations with political and social leaders on October 23. "In view of the fact that the well-being of the people is the supreme law, I have decided to start a series of contacts starting next week in order to consult with the most representative political and social leaders and share their views on creating a unity with regard to the above goals", announced Tshisekedi, in a message to the Congolese people.
In their message, the Bishops propose to look at the issue from the point of view of politicians and the electoral system. In the first case they suggest a clarification between the components of the government coalition. "One thing seems certain to us", they say, "the current dynamics of the coalition does not allow the country to be. We need a political solution that respects the Congolese people".
As for the electoral process, CENCO proposes a reform of the electoral system, which primarily insists on "depoliticizing and strengthening the independence of the members of the Independent Electoral Commission (CENI)" and recommending "realistic consensual reforms of the electoral law".
CENCO concludes by reaffirming its willingness to give its contribution to any initiative that the President will take for the good of the nation. (L.M.) (Agenzia Fides, 11/11/2020)

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