The Congolese parliament is currently in turmoil, following the revelation of a massive overrun of the 2023 budget. MPs were shocked to learn that more than 15,000 billion Congolese francs, equivalent to more than 5 billion USD, were exceeded in the budget execution.
This situation was highlighted during the general debate that followed the presentation of the bill on the reissue of accounts for the 2023 financial year, submitted by the Minister of Finance to the National Assembly. Members of the parliamentary opposition pointed out that more than half of the budget expenditures were carried out under emergency procedure by the former Minister of Finance, Nicolas Kazadi. They strongly criticized these practices, accusing them of having encouraged large-scale embezzlement of funds.
The President of the Opposition Parliamentary Group, Christian Mwando Nsimba, called for a parliamentary inquiry into the emergency payments made by Nicolas Kazadi, and also requested a vote of no confidence in the Minister of the Budget, Aimé Boji, for alleged incompetence. He pointed out that uncertified domestic debts of a considerable amount were being processed under emergency procedure, thus raising questions about the transparency and financial management of the government.
For her part, MP Kabwite of the Union Sacrée strongly criticized the under-execution of the investment budget, stressing that financial resources were mainly allocated to the current consumption of public institutions, to the detriment of investments needed to stimulate economic growth and reduce poverty in the country.
After hours of intense debate, the draft law on the reissue of accounts for the 2023 financial year, as well as the supplementary budget for the year 2024, were deemed admissible by the National Assembly.
This case highlights the major issues related to the management of the financial resources of the Congolese State and underlines the need for greater transparency and accountability in budget execution. Political actors and civil society will have to remain vigilant and demand clear answers regarding the use of public funds, in order to guarantee sound and effective management of public finances in the Democratic Republic of Congo.