Kinshasa public administration: Sit-in scheduled Monday to demand salary arrears

Kinshasa, July 12^th, 2026 (CPA). – A sit-in to demand the payment of salary arrears has been scheduled for Monday in Kinshasa, capital of the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), according to a statement issued by the inter-union of the city’s public administration, consulted on Saturday by CPA. “The Kinshasa Urban Inter-Union reaffirms its determination to secure the rights of urban public servants and is stepping up the strike movement across the city of Kinshasa. It takes this opportunity to inform all staff that the strike observed over the past few days is entering a decisive phase due to the absence of concrete and satisfactory responses to our demands. Effective immediately, the strike is being intensified under the radical slogan of public services without public servants. This means no offices will remain open and no staff member will carry out field assignments. Consequently, all employees and senior officials are invited to gather on Monday, July 13, 2026, from 8:30 a.m. in front of the Governor’s Office to make their voices heard during a sit-in organized by the Trade Union Front,” the statement read. “On this day, July 10^th, 2026, the Inter-Union of the Kinshasa Public Administration met in an extraordinary session and wishes to inform both national and international public opinion, as well as all personnel serving in the city’s various public services—including staff of hospitals under the authority of City Hall, schools, public utilities, morgues, cemeteries, urban divisions and municipal services—that the situation surrounding the strike launched on June 22^nd, 2026, remains unchanged,” the statement added. According to the document, the decision follows what it described as the Kinshasa Provincial Government’s complete silence and failure to address the Trade Union Front’s demands regarding the payment of four months out of the thirteen months of salary arrears owed to both political office holders and administrative personnel in Kinshasa. Consequently, the union front strongly urged all public servants to lock their offices and immediately suspend all field assignments. It also called on drivers, applicants and taxpayers to be cautious of any documents issued during the strike period and presented by individuals claiming to be officials on official duty, stressing that duly authorized public servants are on strike. “Likewise, embassies, international organizations and diplomatic missions are urged to reject documents issued by the Kinshasa City Hall during this period, as they are fraudulent documents,” the statement continued. The communiqué also issued a stern warning to any heads of service or political and administrative authorities who might attempt to intimidate striking workers or trade unionists under the threat of sanctions. “We warn them that they themselves will be identified and publicly exposed, because the right to strike is recognized and guaranteed by the Constitution of the Democratic Republic of Congo as well as by international legal instruments,” the statement said. The communiqué further called on heads of divisions, accountants, notaries and other officials to refrain from secretly opening their offices during the strike period. Finally, the document urged the country’s security services, particularly officers of the National Intelligence Agency (ANR) and members of the Congolese National Police (PNC), to stop intimidating trade unionists. “Any action to the contrary would constitute a violation of the law and an abuse of your powers and responsibilities. Should anything happen to any trade unionist, you will be held accountable,” the statement concluded.