For the first time in my life, I almost hit a policeman. I was so annoyed with him that I could have strangled him. My day had started off nicely, but everything went wrong as I was on my way to a very important work appointment. Unfortunately, the cab driver I had hired fell into the hands of traffic officers, and my problem was that they seemed very determined not only to go after the driver but also to waste my time and get me to miss my appointment.
«You started a third lane, pull up to the side». The driver yielded, got out of his vehicle and walked off with the policemen. I and the other clients knew that as usual they were going to discuss separately, to negotiate the level of the «fine», bribe money if you must call things by their name.
After twenty minutes I lost my patience and decided to go and have a look at what was going on. As he saw me walking towards them, one of the officers shouted at me: « this is none of your business, go and wait in the car!».
Then I got really annoyed and the situation went from bad to worse.
Excerpt of the discussion:
Me: You are wasting my time, I have an important meeting, and I will be late…
Policeman: Go and wait in the car, Sir!
Me: I won’t go, I have wasted enough time, I am an honest Congolese going to work and I find it ridiculous that a bunch of corrupt policemen should be wasting my time…
Policeman: Who did you say is a corrupt policeman? Do you know that I could have you arrested for contempt?…
Me: Contempt of what? Contempt of a corrupt person? Arrest me right away if you are bold enough or let the cab driver go so he can drive honest Congolese citizens to their destinations, they who have better business to do than trying to hold other people to ransom…
Policeman: You are speaking to me like this because I am wearing a uniform. The way you are dressed, you wouldn’t speak to me like this if I was in plain clothes…
Me: Corrupt AND a fashion addict? That’s the last straw! I wonder how Congo can become a developed country with people like you…
Policeman: Stop being disrespectful, I’m older than you…
Me: Do you really think that you deserve respect when your only occupation is to annoy good people by behaving stupid?…
While I was having this conversation with the policeman, the negotiation continued between the cab driver and another policeman. After a few minutes, the driver came to me and said: “it’s settled, we may go.” He had just been relieved of 5,000 Congolese Francs by these corrupt cops.
What I find surprising in the story is that I was facing these corrupt policemen alone. The other clients aboard the taxi found it normal that these uniformed men should rob the driver and they did not seem to be in a hurry.
It takes a Congolese to understand and tolerate this kind of thing.
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