Kinshasa, October 15 – A wave of revolt is sweeping against Minister Éve Bazaiba and her Secretary General. Angry agents and staff accuse them of embezzling over 17 million dollars from carbon credits, an astronomical sum that raises questions about transparency and integrity within a ministry meant to protect our environment. This blatant discrimination has led to frustration and distrust towards the authorities.
In their claims for salaries and bonuses, these agents and staff have repeatedly sought a tripartite dialogue between themselves, Minister Éve Bazaiba, and the Secretary General, but their requests have been systematically ignored. “We requested a meeting to discuss our rights, but our calls have gone unanswered,” explains one agent. In light of this lack of communication, protests in Kinshasa are being considered to make their voices heard and demand their rights.
Yesterday, a scandal erupted in front of the Secretary General’s office. These agents demanded accountability, waving flags and holding placards proclaiming their demands, and their chants included “Bazaiba the thief!” Faced with this crowd, the authorities did not hesitate to call in the police to disperse them. As a result, several demonstrators were reportedly arrested, reinforcing the perception of a government that represses rather than listens. Outrage is brewing, and the agents’ anger is more than justified: how can such embezzlement be tolerated within a ministry that is crucial for our future?
Minister Éve Bazaiba attempted to justify herself during a failed media appearance on Top Congo, stating that the money from carbon credits “is not to be used for the payment of agents but to enhance their capacities.” This disastrous communication attempt only adds to the controversy. In fact, documents recently leaked on October 10, 2024, indicate that her Secretary General dispatched judicial police agents to oversee the payment of the Carbon Credit Retrocession, raising serious questions about transparency and integrity within her ministry.
Meanwhile, the Multimodal Freight Management Office (OGEFREM) has also stepped into the fray. On Radio Top Congo FM, it expressed its claims regarding taxes related to the sale of products abroad and its share in the carbon distribution. This growing discontent is not a mere coincidence. It illustrates a general cacophony within a government that seems to be losing control of its priorities.
This climate of anarchy within government bodies is not new. Since August 15, 2023, the organization Actions for the Protection and Promotion of Threatened Peoples and Species (APEM) had called on the ministry to open up to all stakeholders, as required by law and the REDD+ process, to develop sustainable strategies for forest management. This would have allowed the Congolese state to have a comprehensive and clear framework to govern the carbon market with all its intersectoral implications. The ministry is supposed to work constantly in collaboration and consultation with other ministries whose mandates may impact the forestry sector, as well as involve other actors, including the private economic sector and non-governmental organizations. Unfortunately, this has never been done, which is what APEM had requested. These calls for dialogue have been ignored, leading to decisions made in isolation, sources of tension and conflict.
Civil society organizations emphasize that tools and decrees developed without consultation are the true culprits of the current cacophony. The need to clarify the regulatory framework on carbon is more pressing than ever. It is unacceptable for this crucial issue to be reduced to a mere question of forest carbon.
The current situation is not only concerning; it is scandalous. Some sources interviewed by Kilalopress believe it is time to end this management style in such an important sector as the Environment. The voices rising today must be heard and respected. Yesterday, it was the agents who demanded; today, it is OGEFREM doing the same. Curious observers are now wondering who will be next. The case continues.
By Franck Zongwe Lukama