DRC: Kinshasa's Archbishop delivers politically loaded Christmas message

The Archbishop of Kinshasa's Christmas message is likely to cause further tension between the Catholic church and the state in the Democratic Republic of Congo.

Preaching during Christmas eve mass, Cardinal Fridolin Ambongo accused the authorities of failing to bring about peace, and to end the misery of the population.

Ambongo said that the country was living through 'hellish conditions', citing war in the east and widespread poverty.

It is not the first time Ambongo is issuing a stinging criticism of President Felix Tshisekedi's government.

Earlier this year, prosecutors opened a judicial inquiry against him for what they called “seditious comments”.

Ambongo was accused of “incitement” after speaking out against insecurity in the east of the country, where the army is fighting the M23 rebels, during his Easter Mass.

The Catholic Church in the DRC has been a vocal critic of corruption, human rights abuses, and bad governance for decades.