A toll-free number will be made available to Congolese people to denounce practices contrary to the ethical and deontological values of religious leaders, with the aim of combating irresponsible behavior that tarnishes the image of faith, announced this Saturday, July 20, 2024, the President General of the Superior Episcopal Order of Congo (OSEC), Doctor and Archbishop Léonard Matebwe Lamba Lamba, during the official launch of this structure at the Palais du Peuple in Kinshasa.
Stressing the importance of collective action to eliminate abuses within Congolese society in general, the archbishop called for the mobilization of political and religious authorities to restore the dignity and integrity of the religious sector.
“To the population, the OSEC is an ideal framework for denouncing practices contrary to the deontological and ethical values of certain religious actors. As such, a toll-free number will be made available to the population in order to facilitate the denunciation of anti-values in the religious sector. Everyone is free to contact the OSEC in order to effectively combat the irresponsible behavior of certain religious leaders,” he declared.
OSEC has therefore set itself the mission of restoring the dignity of God’s servants and revaluing the sacred role of the church in the management of public affairs. This structure will also act as an interface and regulatory authority for Congolese religious communities vis-à-vis the State, establishing an ethical framework for the respect of religious ethics by bishops. Another mission will be to maintain peaceful collaboration between the church and the State to eliminate negative trends associated with different religious denominations.
Archbishop Matebwe Lamba Lamba calls on the President of the Republic to take regulatory measures to enable OSEC to exercise effective regulatory power over the entire religious sector in the DRC. He also invited the government to support OSEC’s actions in the fight once morest impunity, corruption and other religious practices contrary to good morals and the laws of the Republic, and to facilitate the establishment of its offices in each province.
“Our structure is ready to play an interface and regulatory role to support the Congolese government in its fight once morest impunity, corruption, abuse and other behaviors contrary to the laws of the Republic, which undermine the credibility of our religious denominations, some of whose actors act as free agents in violation of ethical rules and professional ethics. Finally, the religious leaders who are members of OSEC are determined to restore the image and credibility of Congolese religious denominations,” he added.
He called for an amendment by Parliament to Law 004 of 20 July 2001 containing general provisions applicable to non-profit organisations and public utility establishments, which no longer corresponds to current realities and presents several shortcomings in its implementation.
Archbishop Matebwe Lamba Lamba recommended to the judiciary the use of OSEC, as a regulatory body, and its members as specialized whistleblowers in the religious sector, to denounce reprehensible acts that violate human rights and the laws of the Republic. He insisted on the need for collaboration between the judiciary and OSEC.
He also called for support from all religious denominations, especially since “OSEC is a real crutch at their disposal” and has no intention of “playing the role of the police”.
During this ceremony, a sermon on the theme “The Church facing the challenges of the nation” was delivered by Jacques Kambala Tshilombo, Vice-President of OSEC. He stressed the importance for religious leaders to return to the fundamentals of faith and to embody the divine will. Identifying three evils that undermine Congolese society – the loss of the sacred, the inversion of values and the denial of identity – he highlighted OSEC’s commitment to restoring the integrity of the religious sector.
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2024-07-21 10:05:09
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