Customary conflicts: Deposit requirement for case examination abolished in Kinshasa

Kinshasa, June 18^th, 2026(CPA).- The deposit previously required for the submission and admissibility of cases relating to customary disputes in urban-rural municipalities has been abolished by the ad hoc consultative commission responsible for settling such disputes, during a meeting held on Thursday in Kinshasa, capital of the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC).“Among the major innovations adopted by the commission, the payment of the US$300 deposit, which previously conditioned the submission and admissibility of applications, is now strictly prohibited,” declared Jean-Pierre Mpasi, President of the Ad Hoc Consultative Commission. According to him, the measure is intended to guarantee equal opportunities for all claimants to customary leadership positions, regardless of their financial means. Mr. Mpasi also announced that the party in whose favor an arbitration ruling is delivered will henceforth receive institutional support for official recognition. “The group chief whose legitimacy is recognized will be officially installed at the office of the Deputy Prime Minister in charge of the Homeland, who will issue the recognition decree free of charge. As for village chiefs, the customary confirmation certificate or official document will be granted without charge by the mayor of the municipality concerned,” he explained. Furthermore, the commission recalled that any party declared unsuccessful at the end of the proceedings must refrain from exercising any customary authority. “The losing party must immediately cease claiming the status of customary chief and may no longer wear the traditional attire associated with that office, failing which legal proceedings will be initiated by the competent authorities,” the commission president emphasized. “The commission is now fully funded by the Public Treasury. Parties involved in customary disputes will no longer bear any costs related to the functioning of this structure, unlike practices observed in the past,” he affirmed. He praised the commitment of national and provincial authorities to finding lasting solutions to customary disputes. “The ad hoc commission commends the determination and full commitment of Their Excellencies the Deputy Prime Minister in charge of the Interior, Jacquemain Shabani, and the Governor of the City of Kinshasa, Daniel Bumba, in the process of restoring social peace and strengthening customary authority,” he concluded.