Each and every officer who has been at the head of the city of Kinshasa these last few years has given us an idea of their understanding of ‘cleanliness’. Some restricted their action to demolishing a few shaky buildings and others proudly pointed to a bunch of sweepers on the main thoroughfares of the city.
I really wonder why we can’t be lucky enough to get a Governor who is smart enough to understand that cleanliness, in an 8-million city, requires an effective waste collection and elimination system.
Plastic bags and all kinds of garbage are part of the environment in the city of Kinshasa. Garbage heaps have even become playgrounds for some children.
The Congolese State will easily offer 4-wheel drives to Members of Parliament, yet it seems much more complicated to purchase the equipment necessary to ensure the cleanliness of Congolese towns.
Similar to their flying counterparts, the Antonov buses manufactured in the West but altered and tampered with by Congolese mechanics claim casualties every day. This morning, there was an accident in the municipality of Ngaliema, behind the American school in Kinshasa. An old bus ended up against a wall, when its brakes broke down, causing several casualties but fortunately no fatalities.
Because the public hospitals have been hardly functional for the past two months, due to a strike, the casualties were taken to small private medical centers. I personally saw a score of these patients, including five persons whose condition was critical.
No need to ask why these accidents happen, the reasons are so obvious. This morning, this very antique bus had nearly forty people onboard, while it has a seating capacity of twenty persons only. I must also mention the fact that in Congo, you don’t take a test in order to obtain your driving license, you buy it. It is therefore not uncommon to find someone with very limited driving skills at the wheel of a bus transporting several people.
I personally never took a test to get my driving license and I didn’t even need to go and get one. I just gave some money to a friend who went out and bought it for me.
There were no fatalities today, so these moving coffins will continue to run. We will undoubtedly have to wait until a major accident with several fatalities happens before the Congolese authorities set to work on the problem of the Antonovs that continue to be used.
Let me introduce a genuine Kinois. His fly open, he is urinating in full daylight in a public thoroughfare, with no consideration whatsoever for the “Epekisami Kosuba awa” writing just above his head, that means: “Do not urinate here.” Seeing him, I hastened to take my camera out in order to quickly take a picture on the quiet, but no luck, he caught me.
The gentleman was very angry with me for doing that and he very nearly pounced on me, demanding that I delete the picture. I got off after a fifteen minutes’ discussion and pretending I was deleting the photograph. During the discussion, I endeavored to explain to this guy that his action was deplorable, but I only got this answer from him: “show me a public toilet where I could have gone… ”.
Indeed, it is true that in that wealthy area, in the municipality of Gombe, downtown Kinshasa, there is no public toilet and I am sure that the occupants of the neighboring villas would have met with a strange look anyone who knocked on their doors, asking to be allowed to use their toilets.
What would you do if you were in this gentleman’s situation, with a pressing need and no public toilet within 10 kilometers ?
The city of Kinshasa has come to life again this morning after being lifeless throughout the end-of-year holiday season. This year, there weren’t too many festivities. We have the usual atmosphere again, the students are returning to school after two weeks’ holiday; the employed and the resourceful guys are back to work.
Yesterday, as I was going to Kimwenza, a district not too far from the University of Kinshasa, I was surprised when the collective taxi I had taken stopped before the final destination. Only when I got off did I see right before me a gaping trench across the road. It was therefore impossible for vehicles to cross over.
We had to get off, walk across on a kind of footbridge made of sand-filled bags and take another taxi on the other side, and thus continue the journey. We had to pay for two taxis whereas in normal weather, the cab will you to your destination. Those who cannot afford to pay double get off here and walk the rest of the way. Not only are they saving money that way, but a little walk is good. Sport is good for your health!
Honestly, I couldn’t believe my eyes when I saw the crater. It was as if a comet had fallen there. Hard luck for the residents of this part of Kinshasa who may have to wait quite a long time before the erosion that threatens even their houses is considered “fit for a building site.” Hard luck for those who are not wealthy and live far from Kinshasa downtown and its building sites.
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When I see the large numbers of visa applicants waiting every day outside some Embassies and diplomatic representations in Kinshasa, I always wonder how many Congolese citizens would remain in the country if they could easily to get a visa to leave. You must be really motivated to wake up at 4 o’clock in the morning in order to be at 5 at the Embassy, just to pick up a visa application form. The next inescapable stage is to queue up for hours, on the day when you actually file the application.
Last time I went to file a visa application, I had to stand outside the French Embassy for more than two hours, in a blazing sun, telling myself that this was perhaps a waste of time, there were chances that my visa application would be turned down, and I fully knew that the Embassy is not even required to justify a rejection. Up until the day before my departure, I didn’t know when the visa was going to be granted, or not granted. I received it on the morning of the very day when I was supposed to board the plane.
I’ll never forget the day when I heard a lady shout: “pasi eleki! Toteka kaka mboka yango, tokabola mbongo, moto na moto aluka esika ya kokende” which means: “too much suffering! Let’s sell this country, share the money and let every one find another place to go“. I admit that this lady was going a little too far, but with this kind of remark, one can justifiably wonder if the Congo wouldn’t lose its entire population if the visa barrier was lifted.
The 5 top embassies for visa application. Ranking criterion : the number of people I see standing in front of an embassy each time I am in the vicinity:
- China
- South Africa
- France
- Italy
- Belgium
2007 is out! Filled with good memories, great encounters laughter too, but also with tears. This New Year 2008 is beginning and it will be full of challenges to take up. New projects: we will not rest on our past successes, but we will use positive energy to advance and do great things.
A special thought for all the victims of the pointless and unjust war in the East Congo. My greatest wish is to see the war ended and that the Congo is a peaceful country again, where life is good.
A happy New Year to each and every one of you!
My grandparents danced to indépendance Cha Cha and my parents to Elombe Sese. The former inherited it from the colonials; those who came after them didn’t build anything and, in addition to being unable to maintain their heritage, distinguished themselves by their ability to tear everything to shreds. Perhaps they didn’t realize or pretended not to realize that their country was sinking and that there would remain nothing for their descendents.
I and the members of my generation have inherited a country in ruins and we are dancing to Lopele What are we going to leave our children?
Some changes have been noticeable recently in the Kinois’ behavior. It’s a big change not to see people hanging dangerously from buses or cars in the city. It’s a relief not to be made to sit in twos next to the driver in a cab, and it’s reassuring to be able to fasten one’s safety belt.
Today, I found it strange to see a policeman hanging from a car, with his head out, in violation of a rule that he is supposed to enforce. This scene however trivial it may seem, highlights the frame of mind of the Congolese.
Police officers are not the only ones to abuse the rules. To be a ruler in the Congo gives you every right. The leaders can drive against the flow of traffic if they so decide. There is no speed limit for them and in the event of an accident they are right even though they have caused it.
Exceptions to law enforcement extend also to the leaders’ children, cousins, concubines and friends.
I will never forget the day when I got slapped in the face by a kid; I couldn’t give him one, not because I wanted to follow the teachings of Jesus-Christ and turn the other cheek, but simply because his father was a military officer who was close to the marshal. I didn’t want to end up in jail, nor did I want to get a whipping from the soldiers working as guards for his father.
It was slated originally for December 27, 2007: the Conference on peace, security and the development in Kivu will open on January 6, 2008 unless there is another change.
At most, 500 people, leaders of Congolese armed groups operating in the East of the country, honorable deputies and senators, members of the civil society, soldiers and representatives of the various ethnic communities of North and South Kivu will meet to discuss, reflect upon, and find solutions to put an end to the war.
Some advances having been made thanks to the Intercongolese dialogue of Sun City, the 1+4 transitional government and the elections, can we hope that this new gathering will contribute to ending this war which caused millions of victims?
Will all those who are taking advantage of the troubles generated by this pointless war finally calm down and accept peace? The future will tell us…
Exactly one month after the previous one died, I have a new camera. I can therefore continue my adventures this time with a Canon Ixus 860IS delivered to Kinshasa on Christmas Day by a person who prefers to remain anonymous. I can only express my gratitude towards those which contributed to the purchase of this new work tool.
Merry Christmas and Happy New Year 2008 to all.
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