Catholic Official in Chad Advocates for “competence, merit” in Public Appointments

Fr. Franklin who spoke to ACI Africa following the conclusion of the July 3-9 RESRAT General Assembly urged the Chadian government to “work to redress and improve the education system so that citizens are well trained to contribute to nation-building.”

Tension has been high in Chad following last October’s extension of the mandate of the President of the Transitional Council, Mahamat Idriss Déby.

In April 2021, President Idriss Déby Itno who had been at the helm of the country since 1990 died after succumbing to injuries reportedly from a battle with the Front for Change and Concord in Chad (FACT), a dissident army rebel group in the Northern part of the country.

Following his death, a transitional council of military officers led by Deby's son, Mahamat, as interim president, started overseeing Chad’s transition period for the next 18 months.

In October 2022, Chad’s military leader, Mahamat, was named President of the transition following deliberations of the country’s National Inclusive Dialogue (DNI), RFI reported. 

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He was sworn in on 10 October 2022 as President for a two-year transitional period ahead of "democratic" elections, a move that sparked violent protests that reportedly resulted in deaths.

In the July 10 interview with ACI Africa, Fr. Franklin reflected on the importance of inculturation in the Church in Chad.

“There are some who think that the Church has wiped out many of our traditions and cultures, and some are withdrawing into their own identity, refusing to be open to the Gospel,” he said.

The Chadian Catholic Priest continued, “The task of inculturation is to penetrate our cultures and, above all, to be able to draw on our African and Chadian values so that the word of God can take root in our hearts.”

“We want a Chadian Church, an African Church, a Church that takes into account our potential and our know-how,” the Secretary General of RESRAT told ACI Africa on July 10.

Charles Ayetan contributed to the writing of this article.

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