Kasai: Alert over food shortages at Ilebo Prison

Tshikapa, April 14^th, 2026 (CPA).- An alert regarding a shortage of food and pharmaceutical products has been in place for six months at Ilebo Prison, located in one of the five territories of Kasai Province in the centre of the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC), by local civil society, CPA has learned on Tuesday from a local source. “We are sounding the alarm to the relevant authorities and humanitarian organisations to supply the Ilebo prison with medicines and food rations as usual.  “For six months now, from November to the present day, the prisoners in Ilebo have been living in inhumane conditions, and this requires appropriate action from the authorities to ensure the rights of these detainees are respected,” has declared François Molepo, a civil society activist from Ilebo.  He has indicated that, in the face of this situation, the health of these detainees is deteriorating day by day, adding that humanitarian assistance is of the utmost importance to help these peaceful citizens who are struggling despite the deprivation of their liberty they are facing.  Furthermore, this human rights activist is also calling for judges to be assigned so that the cases of detainees imprisoned for minor offences can be resolved.  Mr Molepo has also called on the provincial authorities to take steps to ensure that food rations and medical care are resumed as soon as possible.  The Ilebo Prison has a capacity of 100 inmates, but it is currently overflowing with prisoners, which is making prison conditions difficult.ACP/