Congo rdc catholic church opposes third term bid in new crisis

Tensions have flared between the Catholic Church in the Democratic Republic of the Congo and the ruling government following a bold statement from the National Episcopal Conference of the Congo (CENCO) opposing a constitutional amendment that could allow President Félix Tshisekedi to seek a third term in 2028.

The CENCO leadership has urged President Tshisekedi to honor the oath he took “before God and the Nation” and has reserved the right to unveil a detailed plan of nationwide actions. The bishops have also called on citizens to resist any efforts to alter the constitution, warning that such a move could fracture the country and trigger a civil war.

Civil war fears amid constitutional controversy

The current Congolese Constitution caps presidential terms at two, yet President Tshisekedi, in office since January 2019 and re-elected in 2023 for a second term, has suggested he might pursue a third term. His political allies have since intensified efforts to push for a referendum to amend the constitution to allow this. The move has sparked widespread debate and deep concern across the nation.

Church renews opposition to term limits overhaul

The Catholic Church, which previously opposed former President Joseph Kabila’s attempts to remove term limits for a third term bid, has once again voiced strong opposition. In an extraordinary plenary assembly held in Kinshasa from June 18 to 20, 2026, the CENCO—comprising 37 bishops, cardinals, and priests—issued a 17-point declaration declaring that the nation is in grave danger. Despite multiple peace agreements, the eastern regions of North and South Kivu remain under the control of the M23 rebel alliance, which continues to expand its de facto governance over occupied territories.

Ongoing violence and health threats fuel instability

In Ituri and parts of North Kivu, armed groups such as the Allied Democratic Forces (ADF) are reported to be massacring civilians in alarming numbers. This humanitarian crisis is compounded by a resurgence of Ebola hemorrhagic fever in the east, raising fears of further outbreaks.

The Congolese clergy expressed deep concern: “We observe, with growing alarm, a mounting tension fueled by the majority’s campaign to revise the Constitution of February 18, 2006.” They condemned what they describe as a state-sponsored initiative carried out in an atmosphere of intimidation, where dissenting voices within the ruling coalition are silenced through fear of retaliation. Opposition protests, they noted, are met with violent repression by police forces working alongside a political militia known as the ‘Force of Progress.’

The bishops emphasized that there is no justification—neither necessity, urgency, nor opportunity—for constitutional change. Their priority, they stated, remains peace, social welfare, national unity, and cohesion.

Church faces backlash from ruling coalition

In response, the Union for the Nation (USN), a coalition of over 400 political parties and movements supporting President Tshisekedi, condemned the CENCO’s statement as an act of subversion against legitimate democratic institutions.

In a strongly worded communiqué, the USN described the bishops’ remarks as “an incitement to popular uprising and the overthrow of constitutional order.”