Kinshasa, March 23rd, 2026 (CPA).– Some shops owned by foreign traders have remained closed on Monday on Avenue du Commerce, in the city centre of Kinshasa, capital of the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC), following a strike action launched by Congolese workers at these establishments, who are demanding better pay. “Today, we are suffering. The shops will not open. They will remain closed until we find a solution regarding the improvement of our wages. We are demanding the implementation of the minimum wage,” has declared Jean Meluka, a shop assistant.
“We are fathers and mothers. We have rent to pay, school fees and families to feed, but with the wages we receive, it is difficult to meet all these needs,” he has added. He has explained that wages vary depending on the shop and range between 200,000 and 800,000 Congolese francs. “We are not paid in accordance with the minimum wage of 21,500 Congolese francs, but rather 19,200 francs. We want the government’s decision to be respected,” he has indicated. The implementation of the new minimum wage follows a decision by DRC government. A decree issued last May set the minimum wage at 14,500 Congolese francs, before it was raised to 21,500 Congolese francs from January 1st.