Source: www.persecution.org
Date: January 10, 2024
DRC (International Christian Concern) — President of the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC), Felix Tshisekedi, recently won re-election, ushering him into his second term as president. Tshisekedi was first chosen in 2019, marking the first peaceful transition of power in the DRC since its independence in 1960.
At the time of his election in 2019, Felix Tshisekedi was not highly involved in upper-level politics of the country and was most notorious due to the influence of his father Etienne Tshisekedi, a strong opposition leader.
Due to his father’s extreme actions, the Tshisekedi family was forced into exile for many years in the early life of Felix, resulting in much of his education taking place in Germany. After completing his formal education, Felix Tshisekedi returned to the DRC, creating connections, and moving up in the political realm.
Tshisekedi inherited a country riddled with poverty, corruption, and violence, but managed to introduce free primary schooling, increase student enrollment by more than five million students, and free health services for mothers giving birth in specific hospitals in the capital Kinshasa. He also addressed economic ties with foreign countries to make a more independent DRC.
When Tshisekedi began his service to the country in 2019, the life expectancy at birth was 60, the total population was roughly 87 million, GDP in U.S. dollars was $47.57 billion, GDP per capita in U.S. dollars was $546.2, and unemployment hovered at 4.4%. The most current statistics show the life expectancy at 59, the total population at 99 million, GDP in at $64.72 billion, GDP per capita at $653.7, and unemployment of 5.0%.
While statistics do not supply the full picture, the numbers provided by the World Bank showed that the life expectancy remained mostly stagnant, despite a rising population; both measures of the GDP grew, and unemployment rose slightly.
In 2023, Tshisekedi took significant strides to support religious freedom including traveling to northeastern DRC during his campaign, an area heavily controlled by multiple terrorist groups including the Allied Democratic Forced (ADF) and M23. He did this to show solidarity, among other efforts to fight for the Christian population of the DRC that makes up about 95.8% of the total population.
International Christian Concern (ICC) encourages President Tshisekedi to continue his efforts of furthering religious freedom in his next presidential term. We encourage Tshisekedi to collaborate with other African nations such as Uganda that have successfully ousted rebels.
We pray for President Tshisekedi and the people of the DRC as they transition into another year trying to glorify and honor God.
HOW TO PRAY: Pray for wisdom and guidance for President Tshisekedi. Pray for effectiveness in combatting terrorism in the DRC. Pray for protection for the DRC’s Christian community.