Catholic Bishops in Angola Denounce Persecution of Catechists, Decry Neglect of Social Services, Infrastructure

Luanda, 10 July, 2025 / 8:27 PM

Catholic Bishops in Angola have expressed concern about the worsening social conditions in remote parts of the country and denounced the persecution of Catechists accused of witchcraft.

In difference Episcopal Sees, the Catholic Church leaders are also calling on the government to urgently address gaps in the country, including poor infrastructure, healthcare challenges, and inadequate education services.

In the Catholic Diocese of Benguela, Bishop António Francisco Jaca has condemned what he described as “alarming acts of persecution against Catechists in the municipality of Balombo, particularly in remote areas where belief in witchcraft remains widespread.”

“Many of our brothers, including Catechists, live under the weight of a dangerous mentality,” Bishop Jaca told journalists on Tuesday, July 8 following the conclusion of his pastoral visit to remote areas of the Balombo Municipality.

The Catechists, he said, “are accused by their own communities of being sorcerers and subjected to trials with no legal basis. No one has the right to take justice into their own hands.”

The Angolan member of the Society of the Divine Word (SVD) faulted civil and religious authorities for remaining silent in the face of such persecution.  

“They feel abandoned. Neither the civil authorities, police, nor even their own Church community come to their defense,” he said referring to Catechists, who are victims of persecution.

Bishop Jaca also expressed concern about the state of roads connecting Balombo and Ganda. He said, “The roads are in terrible condition. We hope the authorities look toward the interior of the province and fulfill their responsibilities.”

Meanwhile, in the Catholic Archdiocese of Saurimo, Archbishop José Manuel Imbamba expressed similar concerns during a weeklong pastoral visit to the Sacred Heart of Jesus Parish of his Metropolitan See that covers the municipalities of Muriege and Chiluanji.

“The road to Chiluanji is in a terrible state. From Tambu to Humbieji, the road is practically impassable,” Archbishop Imbamba told journalists on July 8.

He said that the communities along the border feel completely forgotten by the authorities, and added, “They asked me to appeal to our provincial deputies to visit them. They feel used for their votes and then abandoned.”

Archbishop Imbamba also raised concerns about the lack of civil registration, saying the absence of birth certificates affects generations—from elders to great-grandchildren—making it difficult for many to travel or access basic rights.

“I raised this issue years ago and was promised that mobile teams would be deployed. But nothing has been done,” the Angolan Catholic Bishop, who serves as the President of the Bishops' Conference of Angola and São Tomé and Príncipe (CEAST), said.

He reflected on what he called the deplorable state of healthcare in villages like Kahunguenji, where a nurse reportedly earns the salary of a janitor despite managing a scabies outbreak in nearby communities.

“He asked me to make his situation known,” Archbishop Imbamba said.

In the education sector, he recounted complaints of corruption in the allocation of isolation subsidies. “People who were supposed to benefit didn’t. Instead, the subsidies went to names unrelated to the local schools,” he lamented.

Archbishop Imbamba added, “People feel abandoned, forgotten, and left to fend for themselves. Many now turn to the Democratic Republic of Congo for healthcare and education.”

He urged authorities at all levels to take “urgent and concrete action to address the suffering of Angola’s most neglected communities.”