Kasai Central: the protection of stray elephants and hippos is non-negotiable (Provincial Government)

Kananga, October 9^th, 2026 (CPA). – The protection of elephants and hippos straying into the Kazumba territory in Kasai Central, in the centre of the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), is non-negotiable, the provincial executive has stated, CPA has learned on Thursday from an official source. “These two animals, which are classified among the species protected by the Congolese Institute for Nature Conservation (ICCN), must be safeguarded at all costs (…) This protection is in no way negotiable,” has said Pierrot Mutela, provincial Minister in charge of Communication and Media and government spokesperson. He has added that the security services have taken appropriate measures in accordance with the relevant legislation currently in force to address the situation. A stray elephant has killed an 18-year-old man in the village of Muchaila, in the Musuasua area, before injuring another in the Kambundi region. Meanwhile, the appearance of a hippopotamus has caused panic amongst the local population.