The Correspondent of RECOWACERAO NEWS AGENCY, RECONA sent as a missionary to cover the Assembly of the Catholic Bishops in Ivory Coast has returned with a core message. Konan Nguessan who also covered the Jubilee of Communication Directors in Rome has underlined that the meeting of the Bishops in Ivory Coast followed the message of the Holy Father Pope Francis to the Communicators gathered from all over the world. With a little shift to the left line with the reality of their nascent fatherland, the Catholic Bishops in Ivory Coast have urged Politicians to Revive Hope ahead of General Elections. While to Pope charged the Catholic Communicators to Communicate hope, the bishops urged the politicians to revive the fast-dwindling hope in the land.
Details of the message had it that the Members of the Episcopal Conference of Ivory Coast (CECCI) have called on the country’s politicians to focus on unity and peace ahead of the country’s presidential elections scheduled for October this year.
In a message issued at the end of their 126th Plenary Assembly on January 26, CECCI members underscore the need for a peaceful and fair electoral process, urging politicians to rekindle the nation’s hope.
With the presidential elections just months away, the Catholic Bishops warn that the behavior of the population and politicians leading to the elections will be pivotal for the country’s future.
“There is no doubt that the Ivorian nation is at a crossroads in this Jubilee year, which is also an election year. The way its sons and daughters conduct themselves during this period will be crucial for its survival,” CECCI members say.
They express concern about potential political unrest, before, during, or after the elections.
CECCI members also announced that they would issue a pastoral letter to the nation to guide the people through these challenging times.
While acknowledging the President’s commitment to fair elections, the Catholic Bishops call on the Independent Electoral Commission (CEI) to “do everything possible to guarantee free, fair, transparent, credible, and inclusive elections in order to strengthen citizens’ trust in the electoral process.”
The Catholic Bishops also urge political leaders to uphold integrity, condemning all forms of vote-buying, which they described as illegal and harmful to the democratic process.
“Since politics is a noble vocation dedicated to serving the common good, the Conference of Catholic Bishops of Côte d’Ivoire (CECCI) encourages all politicians to uphold values of integrity and decency,” the Catholic Church leaders say.
They “strongly condemn all forms of vote-buying and selling, which it considers illegal and unacceptable.”
They add, “While the CECCI, as an institution of the Catholic hierarchy in Côte d’Ivoire, does not dictate to political parties their choice of presidential candidates has it as a duty to remind citizens to consider the implications of their choices during the elections.”
The Catholic Bishops encourage Ivorians to “turn their attention to God through prayer and fasting so that both the government and the opposition may take the right actions and make strong decisions to save the nation.”
They call on their fellow citizens to “continue fasting and praying in preparation for peaceful and trouble-free elections.”
CECCI members also exhort political leaders, during campaigns and vote-seeking efforts, to “avoid all forms of violence and to refrain from exploiting religion and ethnicity for political gain.”
CECCI members recommend that “regulatory bodies exercise greater vigilance and honesty in fulfilling their duties.”
“This recommendation requires them to act with integrity, resist all attempts at corruption and undue pressure, and thus avoid compromising their ethical responsibility to the nation,” the Catholic Bishops say.
They call for “respect for the separation of powers—executive, legislative, and judicial—to ensure balance and justice in governance.”
CECCI members remind citizens that Christ must be at the center of their lives and decision-making, including in the choice of leaders.
“If Christ is our hope, then we must make room for Him to guide and direct all aspects of our collective life, including the election of our leaders and conflict management,” they say.
The Catholic Bishops continue, “If we succeed in this, we will have revived the hope of the”Land of Hope, as proclaimed in our national anthem. In this Jubilee Year of Hope, we no longer want to count the dead—we want to sing of hope.”
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