Anarchic Construction in Kinshasa: An administrative officer questioned by Mont-Ngafula town councilors

Kinshasa, May 5^th, 2025 (CPA) – The head of the Kimbondo district in the municipality of Mont-Ngafula, in the west of Kinshasa, the capital of the Democratic Republic of Congo, was questioned on Monday by the municipality councilors of this municipality during a plenary session focusing on ‘Anarchic construction in erosion sites’. ‘We asked the head of the Kimbondo district to appear before us today to find out more about the unauthorized construction on an erosion site between the Saint Pierre Claver Catholic church and the Congo Baptist Community (CBCO) Kindele 1. It’s a very serious problem and we need to find the real causes’, said Yoshoua Kasongo, President of the Mont-Ngafula Municipal Council. ‘This part of the district is being sold to individuals who are not only building houses without respecting the regulations and town planning standards in force, but also do not have the legal sales documents in their possession. So this is a very serious problem, and we need to find the real causes in order to remedy it’, he said. Speaking at the plenary session to clarify the issue, the head of the Kimbondo neighborhood said that the illegal sale of this part of the neighborhood was being carried out by a local chief who is defying the authorities despite being questioned. ‘The government had compensated all the victims of this erosion so that this area, which was threatened by a landslide, would remain uninhabitable, but we have seen this part of the district put up for sale by the local chief, who is continuing his operation despite being challenged,’ explained Christine Mbelu. Twelve (12) out of the fifteen (15) municipal councilors took part in this first plenary session of the May 2025 ordinary session, it was noted. ACP/