Nearly 4,000 road maintenance workers demand six months’ wages arrears in Kinshasa

Kinshasa, August 27^th, 2026 (CPA). – Nearly four thousand (4,000) road maintenance workers employed by Kinshasa City Council (HVK) in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) have claimed six (6) months’ wages in arrears during a sit-in organized on Thursday outside the provincial governor’s office in the Congolese capital. “We have demonstrated to claim payment (…) of the wage arrears for January, February, March, April, May and June. The authorities had assured us that we would be paid by Wednesday, August 26^th at the latest, but today is Thursday and nothing has been done; no one has received what is due to him. Yet the city governor had guaranteed this to us during the meeting held on Friday with his chief of staff,” has declared Ramadhane Mubikayi, coordinator of the Collective of Field Delegates (DPO), a body responsible for monitoring and carrying out sanitation operations in the city of Kinshasa. “On Saturday, we have met with the provincial Minister in charge of the Environment, who had also reassured us,” he has reminded. “Nearly 4,000 workers spread across the city’s four districts are affected by these unpaid wages; these include DPOs (Field Delegates) and TTs (All-round Workers). We have all been waiting for several months for the wages we are owed, despite the work we have done to keep the city clean and carry out sanitation operations,” the coordinator has continued. Mr Mubikayi has also mentioned the difficulties faced by this section of the population, who do not know where to start as the start of the new school term is fast approaching. “The new school term begins in a few days’ time; the governor has given his word, yet we are convinced that, at present, our money may be being held up by the Minister in charge of Finance. That is why we will not move from here until we get what we are entitled to. Today, it’s our money or nothing; no one will leave here without a favourable outcome,” he has emphasised. The collective’s coordinator has affirmed that several steps have been taken since April with the provincial authorities, notably by submitting a memorandum to the Town Hall and bringing the matter before the Provincial Assembly. Mr Mubikayi has also expressed the view that the settlement of these arrears would, in particular, enable workers to cope with the social difficulties they are facing, especially as the new school term approaches.ACP/