The deterioration of National Road number 1 (RN1) in the Kasai Central province, following recent heavy rains, continues to cause serious concern among the local population. This disastrous situation, largely due to the inaction of the authorities, faces a lack of concrete solutions.
The inhabitants of the region, faced with an impassable road, suffer not only from difficulties in accessing basic necessities, but also from the inability to evacuate their products and goods to the town of Kananga. Augustin Biumakayi, a local resident, expressed his dismay by saying: “The authorities of this province neglect and sabotage the population. Almost all the roads in Kasai province are impassable. The population suffers from constant hunger and deprivation.”
It should be remembered that in February 2021, the President of the Republic, Félix Tshisekedi, gave his agreement for the launch of rehabilitation work on the RN1, between Kananga and Mbuji-Mayi. A project worth more than 400 million USD, initiated by the Industrial Promotion Fund (FPI), aimed to ensure the integrated development and interconnectivity of the provinces of the DRC.
However, problems with retrocommissions are currently blocking the progress of the work. Some local financial decision-makers want to entrust the contract to the African Development Bank (AfDB), arguing that the execution cost will be higher than that proposed by the Egyptian company Samcrete, initially responsible for the work. Sources indicate that this decision could be motivated by kickbacks amounting to $16 million, while the contract with the Egyptians does not provide for any kickbacks.
Despite the promising start of the work, financial blockages, such as the ban on payment of the 27 million USD deposit ordered by the General Inspectorate of Finance, considerably delayed the project. These obstacles could eventually lead to a unilateral termination of the agreement reached before Presidents Tshisekedi and al-Sissi.
It is essential to emphasize that such decisions could harm the country’s image vis-à-vis its partners, but also compromise the electoral campaign of President Tshisekedi, who could run for a second term. It is therefore urgent that measures be taken to resolve this impasse and ensure the rehabilitation of the RN1, thus guaranteeing the security and development of the population of Kasai Central.