Leadership and citizenship in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC): a Christian-ethical appraisal

Abstract

The Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) is endowed with natural resources to the extent that it could be one of the richest countries in the world. Nonetheless, this country is one of the poorest (in the world) with more than 70% of its population living in abject poverty. Economists, political scientists and sociologists have all been puzzled by how a country that is so rich in resources can be so abysmally underdeveloped and conflict stricken. Is a scramble for the country’s resources to blame for the conflict; or are incipient inequalities and economic injustice the primary cause; or perhaps the two are related in some way? Slants such as “greed versus grievance” or “the paradox of plenty” have animated the literature and caught the public’s imagination. This study argues that the lack of ethics in this country is the reason why all attempts to stop the organized plunder of Congolese riches and to address the economic and political crises in order to alleviate the hopeless situation always fail. A thorough consideration of the country’s history reveals the depth of this problem. Christian ethics can lead to sustainable liberation of the entire Congolese society. As such, the Christian tradition and biblical revelation should be the primary source that is tapped during the process of building new Congolese citizenship and leadership. Christian principles aiming at peaceful living and working together remain the answer to sustainable salvation of people and the social transformation of this country.