(ZENIT News / Kinshasa, 09.05.2024).- Firmin Mvonde Mambu, Attorney General of the Court of Cassation of the Democratic Republic of the Congo, sent a letter to the Kinshasa-Matete Chief Prosecutor, ordering him to initiate legal action against Cardinal Fridolin Ambongo, Archbishop of Kinshasa.
The Attorney General’s order is based on accusations that Cardinal Ambongo is promoting false rumours and inciting the people to rebel against the established institutions, as well as conspiring against human lives. He is accused of making constant statements described as seditious , which could demoralized the Republic’s Armed Forces and foment rebel groups’ mistreatment of local populations.
The conflict between the Catholic Church and President Felix Tshisekedi’s Government has been growing since the December 2023 elections, which were the object of questionings by the Catholic Bishops. Representatives of the Church say that the Government is responsible for the instability and war in the East of the country.
Cardinal Ambongo has been especially critical of the Government, even suggesting that the Tshisekedi Administration is supplying arms to militias and insurgents in opposition to the Government of Rwanda. This statement was reported in a FIDES Agency. Interview. However, it’s important to point out that the original version of the interview in Italian with the Vatican’s FIDES Agency had nuances that were not reflected completely in the version published in English.
Moreover, it has been reported that, recently, Cardinal Ambongo has been denied access to the VIP Room of Kinshasa’s airport. This measure was taken due to the repeated death threats, of which the Cardinal has been the object, and not for reasons of privilege.
Cardinal Ambongo, chosen by Pope Francis as a member of the C9, the Council of Cardinals discussing the reform of the Roman Curia, was one of the main critics of the Vatican document that allows the blessing of same-sex couples, an unpopular measure among many African Bishops.
The situation between the Church and the Government of the Democratic Republic of the Congo continues to be tense, and the future of relations between the two institutions continues to be uncertain.
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