The Archbishop of Kinshasa has lashed out at maneuvers by Noel Tshiani, a pawn of President Felix Tshisekedi, seeking to introduce a constitution amendment that smacks of racism and discrimination against mixed race Congolese ahead of the December 20, 2023 presidential elections.
Tshiani, a naturalized American citizen whose three sons are American born and live in Maryland, has submitted a bill that seeks to limit presidential candidates to those who have two Congolese parents.
The bill that is dubbed “congolité” (Congolity) was first introduced at the DRC’s National Assembly for examination on July 8, 2021 but was rejected.
Suddenly, the bill has been reintroduced before the 2023 presidential election clearly demonstrating that it was being designed to block popular opposition leader Moise Katumbi.
Katumbi, the former Katanga governor, was born of a Greek-Jew, Nissim who settled in the DRC in the 1900s and married mama Virgine ,a Lunda-Msiri native.
Addressing a Catholic Church gathering, Cardinal Ambongo has said the proposed law is “likely to divide the Congolese people.”
Cardinal Ambongo outright called the bill disciminatory and racist that will work against the unity of the country.
Widespread protests have engulfed the DRC with the population calling on the National Assembly to reject the proposed Tshiani Law.
