In the DRC, during the 2024 Easter Mass, Cardinal Fridolin Ambongo denounced “ a country in agony “. Critical remarks from the Archbishop of Kinshasa which illustrate, according to sociologist Gauthier Musenge Mwanza, the role of the Congolese Church: “ Monitor, control, see if the actions suit the population. » A role accepted by those in power, he adds.
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In the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), the weekend of March 30-31, 2024 was marked by the uncompromising message from the Archbishop of Kinshasa. Cardinal Fridolin Ambongo denounced the carelessness of the authorities in the face of the rebel activism of the M23 in the east of the country against a backdrop, according to him, of acts which weaken the country: “ We know very well that our country is today a country in agony, a seriously ill person in a comatose state. ”, adding that “ It’s been three months since our country has been practically paralyzed for the simple reason that the entire political class has invited itself around the big cake that we are fighting over. “. Quite strong attacks on the regime.
Cardinal Ambongo is not his first critic. For Gauthier Musenge Mwanza, sociologist, professor at the University of Kinshasa, his position as a figure in the Catholic Church allows him to have freedom of speech, without placing him on the side of the opposition.
“ Power knows the role of the Church »
“ We can speak, let’s say, of a kind of humilityhe estimates at the microphone of Paulina Zidi. They have the freedom to express themselves in relation to others, but it is because those in power know the role of the Church. The Church is not the voice of opposition, but the Church is the voice of rationality. The Church is there only to monitor, control, see if these actions suit the population. The opposition makes demands to conquer power, but the Church does not seek power, the objective is not the same. The government knows, recognizes the Cardinal to put pressure on the government so that the government’s actions are rational, are correct, and so on. So, if he were a simple citizen, he would be arrested, but we know that he plays his role “.
Read alsoDRC: during Easter mass, Cardinal Ambongo deplores “a country in agony”