Congo democratic republic church warns against third term bid
A sharp divide has emerged between the Catholic Church in the Democratic Republic of the Congo and the government this week, following a resolute stance taken by the National Episcopal Conference of the Congo (CENCO) against a proposed constitutional amendment that would allow President Félix Tshisekedi to run for a third term in 2028.
The CENCO has called on President Tshisekedi to uphold the oath he swore “before God and the Nation” and has reserved the right to unveil a schedule of mobilizations. It has urged the public to resist and thwart what it describes as a move that could fragment the country and plunge it into civil war.
Civil war looms as constitutional crisis deepens
The Congolese Constitution caps presidential terms at two, yet President Tshisekedi has been in power since January 2019 and secured re-election in 2023 for what was supposed to be his final term. However, in early May, he hinted at the possibility of pursuing a third term, suggesting a referendum to amend the Constitution. His political allies have since been actively pushing for this agenda.
Church reaffirms opposition to unconstitutional power grab
The Catholic Church, which previously opposed former President Joseph Kabila’s attempt to bypass constitutional term limits for a third mandate, has once again raised its voice. Alarmed by the constitutional revision push, the CENCO convened an extraordinary plenary assembly in Kinshasa from June 18 to 20, 2026.
In their 17-point final declaration, the 37 bishops, cardinals, and priests declared that “the Nation is in peril!” The country remains mired in conflict despite multiple peace agreements. For the past four years, rebel factions of the Alliance of the Congo River / March 23 Movement (AFC/M23) have tightened their grip on territories in North and South Kivu, even establishing parallel administrations.
Escalating violence and health crises compound national instability
In Ituri and parts of North Kivu, other armed groups, including the Allied Democratic Forces (ADF), continue to carry out mass killings of civilians. Compounding these crises, an Ebola outbreak in the East threatens to spiral further out of control.
“While the country grapples with these grave challenges, we are deeply troubled by the growing tension fueled by the ruling majority’s campaign to revise the Constitution of February 18, 2006,” the clergy stated. They added, “Regrettably, this campaign, backed by state resources, has fostered a climate of fear, silencing dissenting voices within the majority through intimidation and retaliation. Opposition protests, meanwhile, face brutal repression by police, often in collusion with a political militia known as the Force du Progrès.”
The bishops emphasized that there is no justification, urgency, or opportunity for constitutional change. Their priority remains peace, social welfare, national unity, and cohesion.
Government allies condemn Church’s intervention as destabilizing
In response, the Union sacrée pour la Nation (USN), a coalition of 400 political parties and movements backing President Tshisekedi, expressed outrage, condemning the CENCO’s statement as an act of subversion against legitimate democratic institutions.
In their rebuttal, the President’s supporters accused the bishops of using “inflammatory rhetoric” that incites public uprising and undermines constitutional order.
