Old Video of Catholic Archbishop in DR Congo Circulated as Response to Recent Deadly Fire Disaster

The Archdiocese of Bukavu clarified that a video of Archbishop François-Xavier Maroy Rusengo circulating on social media is not a recent reaction to the deadly fires that killed 27 schoolchildren on September 10. The Archdiocese issued a statement on Friday, September 18, explaining that the footage is more than three years old and was shared out of context.

In the original interview, Archbishop Maroy discussed how families move from rural areas to Bukavu without secure employment or safety plans. The Archdiocese noted that the Archbishop has not made a public comment specifically addressing the recent fires in the Buholo-Kasha and Chimpunda neighborhoods, but is instead in deep reflection regarding the tragedies in the city.