Official press release: Opening of the September Ordinary Session at the Provincial Assembly of Kinshasa
In an official press release published on Friday, September 29, 2023, the president of the Provincial Assembly of Kinshasa, Godé Mpoy Kadima, announced that the solemn opening ceremony of the September Ordinary Session would not take place in person due to a lack of financial means. This decision also aims to express solidarity with the other Provincial Assemblies of the country, which have been facing delays in payment of their emoluments and operating costs for more than four months.
In the press release, the president of the Provincial Assembly of Kinshasa expressed his wish to see this last parliamentary session of the mandate be an opportunity for harmony, unity and love, with the sole aim of ensuring the happiness of residents of Kinshasa. He also informed his colleagues of his upcoming trip to Paris, France, for medical reasons which had been known for 10 days and postponed several times. He thus declared open, remotely, the ordinary session of September 2023 at the Provincial Assembly of Kinshasa, in accordance with article 16 of Law No. 08/012 of July 31, 2008 establishing fundamental principles relating to the free administration of Provinces.
This announcement highlights the financial difficulties encountered by provincial institutions in the Democratic Republic of Congo, and the need to find solutions to ensure their regular operation. It also underlines the importance of solidarity between the different Provincial Assemblies of the country, which face similar difficulties.
This situation raises questions about the management of public resources and the ability of provinces to fulfill their governance functions in precarious financial conditions. It is therefore essential that measures are taken to resolve these problems and guarantee the proper functioning of provincial institutions, in order to meet the needs and expectations of citizens.