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Scaffolding the state: faith-based organisations and application of democratic principles in the DRC and Zambia

ABSTRACT This article argues that Roman Catholic bishops in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) and Zambia provide an arena for ordinary people to participate in politics and demand government accountability. The article analyses the bishops’ engagement with the populace as well as with the state through two dimensions of democratic quality: participation and accountability. The research design for the article is qualitative, and it is based on a literature review and listed sources. The article is also informed by an examination of the sociopolitical activities of the Roman Catholic Church’s faith-based organisation (FBO), the Conference of Catholic Bishops, as recorded in public pronouncements, communiques, and media reports. This FBO has long helped shape domestic politics in the DRC and Zambia. The article demonstrates various ways in which the Roman Catholic Church’s FBO-based pursuit of justice and truth in the DRC and Zambia results in substantially strengthened democratic accountability and participation.