Title: The National Insurance Company (Sonas) in Kindu: controversy surrounding the delivery of payment tokens instead of insurance certificates
Introduction :
For the past two weeks, the National Insurance Company (Sonas) in Kindu, the capital of Maniema, has been causing a great controversy by issuing payment and withdrawal tokens instead of insurance certificates in accordance with the legislation in force. This abnormal practice raises doubts about the reliability of the system for recovering funds from policyholders, particularly in the field of automobile insurance.
Payment tokens pending insurance certificates:
In the streets of Kindu, motorcyclists testify to the habit of receiving payment tokens each time a forced recovery operation begins. This practice is seen as unconstitutional, as it involves the forced seizure of vehicles that have not paid for insurance, despite the liberalization of the insurance sector.
According to a source close to the Sonas branch in Kindu, this delivery of tokens is temporary pending the arrival of insurance certificates from Kinshasa. This is a preventive measure in anticipation of the authorization of the forced recovery, which the company expects from the interim governor.
A controversial practice:
The question of whether this practice is supervised by the General Inspectorate of Finance (IGF), thus guaranteeing the traceability of taxpayers’ money, remains open. Some observers see it as a suspicious practice with hidden intentions.
However, a Sonas agent, speaking on condition of anonymity, refutes these allegations and says it is simply a collection strategy put in place by the public company.
Conclusion :
The situation around the National Insurance Company (Sonas) in Kindu, with the delivery of payment tokens instead of insurance certificates, raises questions about the management of policyholders’ money. This practice arouses controversy and calls into question the transparency and ethics of the company