The capital's commercial centre is shut down and disinfected to fight Covid‐19.
Lack of resources, a muddle over confinement and incipient panic are hobbling the response to coronavirus in DR Congo, fuelling fears especially for Kinshasa, one of Africa's largest and most chaotic cities.
Kinshasa, home to at least 10m people, was meant to go into lockdown on April 4th for four days under an announcement made unilaterally by the region's governor. But officials delayed the measure after the announcement triggered fears of a rise in the prices of basic goods and the risk of unrest. The national intelligence agency “warned the presidency of the threat of looting”, an informed source said.
On April 2nd, governor Gentiny Ngobila announced that Kinshasa's government district, which is also home to a number of embassies and banks as well as upscale homes, would be “put in quarantine” for two weeks starting from April 6th to root out the main suspected source of coronavirus. Large‐scale disinfection began on that day in Gombe – the upmarket business district – and it was barricaded off to everyone except local residents and key workers. The area, home to 100,000 to 200,000 of Kinshasa's 10m people, has been dubbed “the Republic of Gombe” for its perceived status as an island of prosperity in a city rife with poverty and dysfunction.
“The choice of this district is linked to the fact that it's from Gombe that the virus is spreading little by little to other districts,” the health authorities said in a daily statement. After “massive disinfection of the offices and main buildings in Gombe… other areas will be targeted”, it said. (© AFP 6/4 2020)
Top Aide Detained
Vital Kamerhe, President Félix Tshisekedi's chief of staff, spent Easter in Kinshasa's notorious Makala prison following his arrest and detention without bail the previous week. Kamerhe is accused by prosecutors of embezzling funds meant for ‘Presidential 100‐Day Projects’. The projects, including the much‐delayed construction of flyovers in Kinshasa, which has caused traffic chaos, were supposed to symbolise the new dynamism of Tshisekedi's presidency, but most have either stalled or failed to materialise.
Kamerhe was denied bail on April 11th and detained pending formal charges having been accused of diverting money to fake companies, including $47m slated for public housing and $10m for buying medicines, according to court documents seen by Reuters news agency. Allies of Kamerhe say most of the diverted money went to Tshisekedi, who apparently used it to fund his late father's funeral.
Kamerhe is not the only bigwig in prosecutors’ cross‐hairs; a banker, two corporate bosses and an official from a state‐owned firm are already in provisional custody during the inquiry into the financing of Tshisekedi's “100 days” action plan. Some detainees have been released. On April 9th, Fulgence Baramos, the director general of the Fonds National d'Entretien Routier (FONER), was arrested for allegedly embezzling US$20m
Tshisekedi has vowed to tackle corruption to spur a “renewal” of justice and end the perceived impunity of political and business elites. (Africa Confidential 13,16/4; © AFP 9/4 2020).
Fatal River Accident: Ten bodies had been recovered after a boat capsized on the Lumbembe River, the authorities in Kasai province said on April 14th. The overladen boat was carrying more than 20 people at the time, a local NGO official, Edmond Tshipamba, said.
Capsizing vessels and loss of life are frequent occurrences in the rivers and lakes of the DRC. Most of the vast country lacks roads, leaving boats the prime form of transport for people and goods. Vessels tend to be overloaded and poorly maintained, and few Congolese learn how to swim. (© AFP 14/4 2020) Corruption turning point p.22894B