Bishop José Manuel Imbamba, Archbishop of Saurimo (Angola), revealed that he was once on a list of people who would be targeted for assassination for defending truth and justice.
In an interview with Radio Church On January 7, the day he turned 60, Imbamba recalled the dangers he faced in 2003 following Angola’s post-election conflict.
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“My priestly life has been full of misunderstandings. I was ordained at a time of intense war in Luena and I had to face many difficulties,” the archbishop recalled.
“In 2003, during the post-election conflict, I was on a list of people to be eliminated,” he said.
Angola’s first elections, in 1992, were marked by violence, leading to a civil conflict that ended in 2002.
“I have received direct threats from people for my frank statements. These threats are intended to intimidate and tarnish my image and that of the Church. However, I take full responsibility for everything I say. “I am not a spokesperson for anyone,” said Bishop Imbamba, who is also president of the Episcopal Conference of Angola and Sao Tome and Principe.
He highlighted his mission to defend the rights of the marginalized and defend human dignity, saying: “For the poor, the marginalized and the disenfranchised, I will continue to fight in the name of the Gospel, of which I am a servant.”
Despite the sacrifices and challenges he faced in his 33 years of priesthood, Bishop Imbamba described the ministry as a “beautiful and rewarding vocation.”
However, he admitted that there is still a lot of work to do to combat social injustice and foster brotherhood in the country.
“We have not fully awakened consciences or presented the truths necessary to purify the inhuman tendencies that we carry,” he stated.
As Angola approaches its 50th anniversary of independence, the archbishop expressed disappointment in the direction the country was taking.
“This is not the Angola our nationalist founders imagined,” he said. “The bloodshed and sacrifices made were not for this reality.”
Bishop Imbamba criticized the predominance of partisan interests over patriotism and called for national unity.
“Patriotism must prevail. The interests of Angola must come before partisan interests,” he stated. “Today we serve political parties more than our nation. It is time for our leaders to foster harmony and guide us out of this state of confusion, helping us rediscover our social, cultural and national identity.”
“It is time to rethink our country, our citizenship, our ideologies and our vision of a just and inclusive nation,” he said.
Born in Boma, province of Moxico, on January 7, 1965, Bishop Imbamba was ordained a priest of the Diocese of Lwena in December 1991.
Translated and adapted by the ACI Prensa team. Originally published in ACI Africa.
John Vissesse
João Vissesse is an Angolan journalist with abundant experience in communication and the media apostolate of the Catholic Church.