In Muanda, the citizen-led “Stand Up Muanda” caravan reached its most sensitive milestone. On 10 April 2026, the third day of this mobilization initiated across several cities in the country, the voices of local communities coalesced around a central document: the “Memorandum of the Communities of Muanda to the Authorities of the Democratic Republic of the Congo and the Perenco Group.”
In this text dated 10 April 2026, residents present an unequivocal assessment: “We, local communities, are speaking out after more than fifty years of oil exploitation on our territory.” Far from the official narrative portraying this activity as a development driver, the signatories describe “a continuous deterioration of our living conditions, our environment, and our livelihoods.”
According to the elements recorded in the memorandum, the impacts are neither isolated cases nor occasional incidents. They are described as “recurring, documented, and consistent with the known risks of oil activities when they are not strictly regulated.” On the ground, this translates, according to the communities, into regular oil spills, drilling mud discharges, and produced water releases, causing long-term damage to soils, rivers, and coastal areas. Gas flaring, carried out “day and night” and near homes and plantations, is also denounced as being in contradiction with the Congolese legal framework on hydrocarbons and environmental protection.
The ecological effects described are accompanied by concerning health consequences. The document reports a “sharp increase in respiratory diseases, skin and eye conditions, as well as water-related illnesses,” in a context where “drinking water has become scarce.” This situation, according to some analyses, directly conflicts with the national and international commitments of the Democratic Republic of the Congo regarding the right to health and to a healthy environment.
On the economic level, communities point to a gradual weakening of their traditional activities. Artisanal fishing and agriculture, the main sources of income, are described as being “in sharp decline in several affected areas.” Access to land and fishing zones is partially restricted, while pollution contributes to the depletion of fish stocks. Despite several decades of exploitation, Muanda remains confronted, according to the memorandum, with “poverty, severely inadequate infrastructure, and limited access to basic services,” in a context of what is described as an inequitable distribution of oil revenues.
In response to these findings, the communities articulate a series of specific demands addressed to the Congolese state. They notably call for the immediate suspension of the moratorium authorizing continued gas flaring, as well as the suspension of any new allocation of oil and gas blocks and new drilling permits, as long as conditions of transparency, oversight, and community protection are not guaranteed.
The memorandum also insists on the full publication of exploration and production contracts, as well as all fiscal, operational, and environmental audits, in order to enable effective public oversight. The communities further demand the abolition of the derogatory regime stemming from the 1969 oil conventions and the strict enforcement of the current legal framework.
From a perspective of economic transition, they call for the operationalization of the fund for future generations, intended to support local alternatives such as fishing, agriculture, tourism, and renewable energy. This fund, according to the signatories, should be financed by oil revenues, publicly audited, and managed transparently with community participation.
The issue of remediation is also central. The communities demand the effective allocation of funds dedicated to the full repair of environmental and health damage, including ecosystem restoration and compensation for affected populations. They also call for the strengthening of protection mechanisms for human rights and environmental defenders, in a context where these actors play an increasing role in documenting impacts.
Regarding Perenco, the sole oil operator in the DRC, the demands are equally detailed: publication of the environmental impact management and mitigation plan, financing of a multi-year depollution program under independent supervision with community involvement, and the cessation of any new drilling projects—onshore or offshore—until existing impacts are controlled and remedied.
On the ground, this formalization of demands is changing the nature of the mobilization. “We are no longer just talking about problems; we are setting clear conditions,” said one activist involved in the caravan. Another added: “This memorandum is the voice of Muanda. It will be carried wherever necessary so that justice is served.”
The document further specifies that it will be submitted to relevant national, regional, and international institutions. In the absence of “concrete and verifiable responses,” the communities announce their intention to resort to legal action and peaceful civic mobilization.
In Muanda, the day of 10 April 2026 therefore goes beyond a street demonstration. It marks a step in structuring a balance of power based on facts, legal demands, and a strong will to participate in decision-making. Between environmental urgency, social demands, and the pursuit of justice, the “Stand Up Muanda” caravan has helped transform long-standing anger into a framework for action that is now difficult to ignore.
By Asani Musungayi