By RFIPalled on 05-01-2019Modified on 05-01-2019 at 17:25

While we are still uncertain about the date of publication of the provisional results of the presidential election in the DRC, the pass of arms continues between the Episcopal Conference (Cenco) and the Electoral Commission (CENI). Thursday, January 3, the Cenco put in residence the Ceni to give the real results out of the polls and made known the winner of the presidential, without specifying its name. The next day, the Ceni had written to the president of the Cenco protesting, accusing the Catholic Church of giving tendencies, violating the laws and finally preparing for an uprising. The answer was not long in coming and it is by mail that the episcopal conference answers.

It was the president of the Cenco who was arrested and it is he who responds. Bishop Utembi began his missive by saying that the letter of Corneille Nangaa was " timely " when all the archbishops and bishops delegates of the country were gathered as part of their monitoring committee of the electoral process.

" It is in this context that your letter was examined, " says the president of the episcopal conference. The Congo bishops say they are " surprised " by the allegations of systematically violating the laws when they have never given any tendencies or results . They had been careful not to pass on the name of the lucky one or even to say publicly whether he was an opposition or a majority. They also point out that the objective of citizen observation is to give credibility to the electoral process and to contribute to the legitimization of elected institutions.

In his missive, the president of the episcopal conference says " dare to believe " that " this objective is a matter of common interest " with the CENI. As for accusing the Cenco of preparing an uprising, the judgment of the bishops is without appeal.

" It is the irregularities that would irritate the population and the most serious that could lead the people to the uprising would be to publish the results, although provisional, which do not conform to the truth of the ballot box, " writes Bishop Utembi.

    On the same subject

    Elections in the DRC: the extreme caution of the UN Security Council

    DRC: compilation continues, opposition denounces fraud

    Elections in the DRC: the pressure is accentuated on the Ceni

    Elections in the DRC: cases of fraud reported especially in Ituri

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