Catholic Church in Angola Partners with Police in National Campaign to Curb Road Accidents

Luanda, 17 July, 2025 / 3:48 PM

The Catholic Church in Angola has joined forces with the country’s National Police in a nationwide campaign aimed at raising awareness and reducing traffic accidents in the country.

The President of the Bishops' Conference of Angola and São Tomé and Príncipe (CEAST), met on Tuesday, July 15, with the General Commander of the National Police, Francisco Monteiro Ribas da Silva, to address the rise in fatalities owing to road accidents, and particularly to explore ways in which the Church can help tame the situation.

“We are here because of a phenomenon that we, as the National Police, cannot resolve alone. Road accidents,” Commander Ribas said during the meeting at the CEAST headquarters in Luanda.

“More than “5,000 accidents and over 4,000 deaths have been recorded nationwide this year”, he said in an attempt to describe the severity of the matter, and noted that some of the incidents are hit-and-run.

“We hope this strategic partnership with the Church will help us educate citizens,” the Police Commander said.

On his part, Archbishop José Manuel Imbamba welcomed the initiative, expressing the Church’s commitment to contributing to road safety through its structures and grassroots presence.

“This concern fits into our pastoral work, especially our ministry for human mobility. We are ready for this partnership,” Archbishop Imbamba said.

The Local Ordinary of Angola’s Catholic Archdiocese of Saurimo said the Church would leverage its youth movements, Catechists, Priests, and pastoral agents to support awareness campaigns. 

“Through families, catechesis, and community action, we can spread the message and help change behavior on the roads,” he said.

Archbishop Imbamba emphasized that the problem extends beyond traffic violations, saying, “People are becoming indifferent. They don’t value life or the community. Even on the road, we see this lack of respect.”

He also noted that families must play a role in traffic safety education, beginning with teaching basic values at home.

“Institutions alone are not enough. If we want to change mindsets, we must involve families,” the Catholic Church leader said.

He reiterated CEAST’s readiness to take practical steps, including disseminating materials and incorporating road safety into Church activities.

 “We gladly accept this mission and will work together to reduce the number of accidents,” he said.

The partnership is expected to be rolled out through Catholic Parishes, schools, and community platforms across the country, as Angola prepares to intensify efforts to curb one of the leading causes of death in the nation.