The National Episcopal Conference of Congo (CENCO) has voiced strong opposition to President Félix Tshisekedi’s proposal to amend the national constitution. The Catholic clergy warns that such a move risks plunging the country into institutional chaos and reversing democratic progress. This stance adds significant weight to a debate that has dominated political circles in Kinshasa for months.
The Catholic Church stands firm against constitutional changes
In a notably firm statement, the Congolese bishops argued that modifying the fundamental law is ill-timed in the current climate. CENCO, a powerful voice in the Democratic Republic of Congo public life, maintains that the 2006 Constitution remains the legitimate framework, born from a hard-won national consensus following years of transition. There is a deep-seated fear among the prelates that any revision could eventually be used to alter electoral rules to favor the ruling party.
President Félix Tshisekedi first suggested the need for a new constitution in late 2024, claiming the current document was drafted under foreign pressure and obstructs national progress. He proposed a commission to begin deliberations in 2025. It is this specific timeline that has triggered alarms not only within the Church but also among opposition leaders and civil society groups.
A history of resisting presidential extensions
This opposition follows a long-standing pattern for the Congolese episcopate. Back in 2015, CENCO led the charge against attempts to extend presidential term limits. Their mediation during the Saint Sylvester Agreement in late 2016 was crucial in averting a major national crisis. Consequently, their current intervention carries immense political weight and echoes past struggles for democratic stability.
The bishops emphasize that certain parts of the Congolese Constitution, particularly those regarding the number and duration of presidential mandates, are meant to be unchangeable. They view any attempt to touch these “locked” provisions as opening a dangerous institutional Pandora’s box. While the presidency insists the goal is to rethink the state’s architecture rather than term extension, the Catholic hierarchy remains unconvinced, advocating instead for the strict enforcement of existing laws.
With over 40% of the population identifying as Catholic, the Church’s message resonates far beyond political activists. The bishops’ concerns are already being echoed in Sunday sermons across various parishes, indicating a broad grassroots mobilization that transcends the leadership of the Church.
A major test for the Tshisekedi administration
Although Félix Tshisekedi holds a solid majority in the National Assembly following his re-election in December 2023, the Church’s resistance complicates his path. He must navigate the opposition of an institution with high moral authority whose positions are closely watched by international partners in Washington, Paris, and Brussels.
Analysts observe that this political friction occurs while the Congolese military is engaged in conflict with M23 rebels in the East, specifically in North Kivu and South Kivu provinces. Some observers worry that a constitutional battle could distract from urgent security and humanitarian needs. Conversely, others suggest the reform is a strategy to strengthen the executive branch amid regional instability and external pressures.
The coming months will be pivotal as Parliament, the Union Sacrée coalition, and civil society organizations decide their next steps. The bishops have made it clear they will not be passive observers in this process. This developing rift between Kinshasa and the Catholic Church could fundamentally reshape the political landscape of the DRC for years to come, marking a definitive end to the period of diplomatic caution previously seen from the clergy.
