Title: Threat of expulsion for former SOSIDER agents in Maluku in the DRC
Introduction:
At the heart of the news in the Democratic Republic of Congo, more than 1,350 former agents of the Maluku Steel Company (SOSIDER) are currently facing the threat of eviction from their homes. Occupying these accommodations for more than 40 years, these tenants are facing a summons from the Ministry of State Portfolio, demanding their departure due to non-payment of rent. However, this situation raises important questions about the bankruptcy of the company and the status of the housing units concerned. In this article, we will explore the issues raised by this situation and the reactions of the parties involved.
A conflict between former officers and the State Portfolio Ministry:
Since the bankruptcy of SOSIDER a decade ago, the former agents of this company have found themselves in a precarious situation. Having become tenants of the State, they continued to occupy the houses which had been allocated to them during their activity at SOSIDER. However, the State Portfolio Ministry is now putting pressure on them to vacate these units due to non-payment of rent. This approach is supported by a ruling from the Kinshasa-Matete Court of Appeal, thus strengthening the position of the ministry.
The arguments of both sides:
On the one hand, the Ministry of State Portfolio highlights the non-payment of rent and the need to recover these housing units, which are considered to be the private domain of the State. On the other hand, former SOSIDER agents defend their right to stay in these houses, stressing that they were built with the late President Mobutu’s own funds. They also rely on the initiatives of the Ministry of Urban Planning and Housing, which kept them on the Maluku site and invited them to regularize their situation.
The call for regularization of the situation:
Faced with this delicate situation, the League of Tenants (LILOC) has positioned itself in favor of the former SOSIDER agents. Its president, Jean-Jacques Benameyi, insists on respecting the rights of tenants and calls for regularization of their situation. It is essential to find a fair solution that takes into account both the interests of the State and the rights of the occupiers.
Conclusion:
The threat of eviction hanging over former SOSIDER agents in Maluku in the Democratic Republic of Congo raises complex questions linked to the bankruptcy of the company and the rights of tenants. As the State Portfolio Ministry pushes for the release of homes due to non-payment of rent, former agents are fighting to defend their right to stay in these homes built with the state’s own funds. In this situation, regularization of the situation appears to be a fair solution, making it possible to guarantee both the interests of the State and the protection of the rights of the occupants.