Kinshasa, August 13th, 2026 (CPA). – The staff at the Cultural and Artistic Centre for Central African Countries (CCAPAC) – Grand Tambour has denounced an “attempt of destabilization” of its operations, following a request for the appointment of new management, scheduled for Friday, in Kinshasa, in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC), according to a press release received on Thursday by CPA. “The staff is particularly denouncing the precipitation and the lack of consultation surrounding this operation, which, in its view, is likely to change the chain of command, the organisation of departments and responsibilities within the Centre with immediate effect,” it is read in the statement. Whilst reaffirming its respect for the supervisory authority and its commitment to institutional dialogue, the staff considers it necessary to carry out an administrative review beforehand in order to ensure legal security, continuity of service and the protection of the rights of those concerned. According to the statement, the inauguration ceremony is scheduled for Friday, August 14th, 2026, at 10.00 am, less than 48 hours after the letter was notified to the CCAPAC’s General Direction-. The staff reminds that, on June 18th, 2025, the CCAPAC had submitted a list of 221 managers and staff currently in post, in accordance with the Steering Committee’s guidelines. It has also state that it has been working with the office of the Minister in charge of Culture, Arts and Heritage on the draft organisational structure of the Centre. The staff also refer to the reform of the CCAPAC’s founding decree, initiated by the Minister in charge of Culture, Arts and Heritage on the instructions of the Prime Minister, Head of Government, with a view to bring the text into line with the Centre’s remit, ambitions and organisational structure.
A pay situation requiring verification
The CCAPAC staffs also report a situation which they describe as ‘unfair’ in administrative and pay terms. They claim that the office of the Minister in charge of the Culture, Arts and Heritage has asked the Ministry in charge of the Budget to suspend the process of taking on and paying staff actually working at the Centre, whilst these staff members, since January 2025, have reportedly not yet received any salary payments from the Government. In light of this situation, CCAPAC staff is calling for the postponement of the inauguration ceremony scheduled for Friday, to allow for a joint review of the decrees and individual circumstances, clarification of administrative affiliations, and the alignment of posts with the Centre’s organisational structure. It requests also an urgent consultation meeting between the supervisory authority, the General Secretariat and the CCAPAC, with the participation, if necessary, of the relevant departments of the Ministries in charge of the Budget and the Civil Service.