Authorities in Katanga have been panicking after a botched attempt to abduct influential Catholic Church leader Archbishop Fulgence Muteba on February 27, 2022.
A battalion of secret service personnel and members of the Republican Guard swarmed the Cathedral in Lubumbashi in search of Archbishop Muteba.
“Armed military vehicles claiming to be part of the Republican Guard parked in front of the Lubumbashi Archdiocese. Nine aggressive men tried to enter the archdiocese. After meeting firm resistance from the security team at the entrance of the episcopal residence, they quickly took to the gatehouse and, insistently demanded access to the office of Monsignor the Archbishop who was quietly at work,” the Catholic Church in Lubumbashi announced in a recent statement much to the chagrin of the population.
Soon after the backlash from a cross section of the country, the secret service in the DRC claimed it visited the church for other business.
According to Colonel Babadi Bakenge, commander of the infantry of the Republican Guard in Grand Katanga, said it was never a question of messing with the Catholic Church but an attempt at making arrangements to secure the high figures.
The Catholic Church had never asked for security from the secret service in Lubumbashi before the infamous attempted invasion.
A few days later, Haut Katanga governor Jack Kyabula Katwe showed up to visit His Grace Archbishop.
The Catholic Church is seen as a stern critic of President Felix Tshisekedi’s government as it calls out poor standards of living, corruption, tribalism and an attempt by the country to hold fradulent elections.
