Teachers and other state agents from CARITAS Mbandaka-Bikoro expressed their discontent during a demonstration held on Thursday September 7. They are demanding payment of their unpaid salaries for the months of July and August. This mobilization led to the paralysis of activities within this Catholic non-profit organization.
The demonstrators mainly denounce the broken promises of the abbot in charge of payments to CARITAS. The latter would have assured that the necessary funds were indeed available, but that the calculations remained to be carried out. However, a radio announcement from the abbot the day before the demonstration indicated that it was still necessary to wait for the funds to be transferred by the bank.
Faced with this tense situation, the mayor of Mbandaka, Yves Balo, called a security meeting to find a peaceful solution. He notably called for the preservation of CARITAS premises and plans to hold a meeting of the urban security committee with the authorities concerned in order to find appropriate solutions.
The demonstration was dispersed by the national police, who made some arrests. However, civil society witnesses denounced the degrading treatment inflicted on certain demonstrators arrested.
It is essential to emphasize that this mobilization illustrates the financial difficulties faced by many teachers and state agents in the Democratic Republic of Congo. Non-payment of salaries constitutes a recurring problem, endangering the daily life of these civil servants and their motivation in the exercise of their functions.
This worrying situation raises questions about the management of public funds and the responsibility of the authorities towards their employees. It is necessary to put in place transparent and effective mechanisms to ensure the regular payment of salaries and guarantee the economic stability of public sector workers.
The mobilization of teachers and state agents from CARITAS Mbandaka-Bikoro underlines the importance of resolving this problem in order to preserve the quality of education and the proper functioning of public services in the Democratic Republic of Congo. It is essential to empower workers to support themselves and recognize their essential contribution to the country’s development.