In a resolute statement, the Catholic Church in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) has raised alarm over ongoing efforts to amend the country’s constitution. The Episcopal Conference of the Congo (CENCO) warns that tampering with locked articles could plunge the nation into severe instability, including potential fragmentation.
CENCO denounces constitutional revision ambitions
The Catholic Church has taken a firm stance against proposals to revise the constitution adopted on February 18, 2006. Speaking on behalf of CENCO, Secretary-General Donatien Nshole condemned attempts to extend presidential mandates by bypassing constitutional safeguards.
“This maneuver aims to grant another term to the current head of state,” Nshole stated, emphasizing that such actions undermine a hard-won political compromise established after decades of turmoil following independence.
The Church specifically targets the recent referendum law, which it argues was passed under the pretext of addressing a legal void but instead paves the way for tampering with constitutionally protected provisions. According to Nshole, this law violates the constitutional order by allowing changes to matters already locked by Article 220, which safeguards presidential term limits and prevents authoritarian overreach.
Constitutional stability as a shield against dictatorship
Nshole described Article 220 as “a veritable bulwark against dictatorship and the privatization of the state.” His warnings extend to the broader consequences of constitutional overreach, including “the risk of national fragmentation and renewed civil conflict.”
The CENCO leader expressed concerns that political rivalries, increasingly laced with ethnic and tribal undertones, could escalate if constitutional safeguards are dismantled. After thorough deliberation, the Church concludes there is “no necessity, urgency, or opportunity” for constitutional changes at this time.
Congo’s priorities: peace, unity, and social well-being
For the Catholic Church, the DRC’s immediate priorities must remain “peace, the social welfare of its people, national unity, and cohesion.” The Church urges all political actors to prioritize these values over short-term gains that could destabilize the country.
