Budget overruns in the Democratic Republic of Congo: a matter of corruption and bad governance
The Democratic Republic of Congo is facing a major budget overrun scandal. According to the Public Expenditure Observatory (ODEP), a civil society structure, many ministries and public institutions have violated budgetary limits in an alarming manner.
In a recent press release, the ODEP denounces the practices of budget overruns which have become widespread since the start of the mandate of President Félix Tshisekedi in 2019. The organization particularly blames the Minister of Finance, Nicolas Kazadi, as well as the Court of accounts, the supreme audit institution.
According to the ODEP, these budget overruns reveal poor management of public funds and are likely to hide cases of theft and corruption. The organization emphasizes that the overruns also concern the National Assembly, the Senate and many other ministries and institutions.
The numbers are staggering: some ministries overspent their budgets by more than 400%, while others achieved overrun rates of up to 180%. This situation endangers the credibility of the budget and highlights the non-compliance with the principles of financial management and distributive justice.
ODEP calls for immediate measures to put an end to these budget overruns and restore transparency and good governance. The organization recommends in particular the organization of a national forum on budgetary fragility, the computerization of the revenue chain, the strengthening of control over the execution of the finance law and strict compliance with the budget voted by Parliament .
It is essential that the Congolese authorities take firm measures to fight corruption and ensure transparent and accountable financial management. The Congolese population deserves a State that acts in the general interest and uses public resources adequately for the development of the country.
It is time for budget overruns in the DRC to become a matter of major concern in order to preserve the financial integrity of the country and the well-being of its population.