Congolese Justice Minister Evaluates Working Conditions in Kikwit

The working conditions of courts in Kikwit, in the Kwilu province of the Democratic Republic of Congo, were recently evaluated by Minister of Justice Guillaume Ngefa. This evaluation was part of a working visit to the region, during which the minister visited several courts and public and military prosecutor's offices. The goal of this visit was to assess the realities faced by the sector and bring judicial reforms closer to the people.

During his visit, Minister Ngefa stated that he wanted to compare the perception of justice with the reality on the ground. He visited the Kikwit Court of Appeal and the Public Prosecutor's Office, where officials denounced the age of infrastructure, small offices, and insufficient operating resources. The president of the children's court, Viviane Nkiama, requested the construction of a building adapted to this specialized jurisdiction.

The minister also visited the judicial archives, where he noted the precarious conditions for preserving case files, some of which date back to 1972. At the Peace Court, he learned about the consequences of the fire that destroyed the old building during the post-election unrest of 2018-2019, leaving the court in a difficult situation with rented premises and at risk of permanent eviction.

Minister Ngefa discussed the difficulties of the military justice system with Colonel Jerry Ilepa, the military auditor general of the former Bandundu region. They discussed the challenges of operating with fifteen magistrates covering a large territorial area, particularly in terms of logistics, equipment, and operating resources.

As part of his visit, Minister Ngefa also met with Kikwit's mayor, Charlotte Lula, and Brigadier General Richard Moyo, interim commander of the 11th military region. They discussed public service concerns and the security situation in the region, respectively.

The minister's mission aimed to combat the "judicial desert," characterized by the concentration of judicial institutions in large urban centers, to the detriment of many remote and underserved localities. Minister Ngefa emphasized that bringing justice closer to citizens requires better knowledge of local realities, identification of dysfunctions, and concrete responses to the difficulties encountered by courts.

The evaluation of working conditions in Kikwit's courts is part of a broader effort to make access to justice a reality across the national territory. The minister's visit and discussions will likely inform future judicial reforms and government actions to address the challenges faced by courts in remote areas.

Key points

• The Congolese Minister of Justice, Guillaume Ngefa, visited Kikwit to assess the working conditions of courts and public prosecutor's offices.
• The visit aimed to combat the "judicial desert" and bring judicial reforms closer to the people.
• Minister Ngefa identified several challenges, including inadequate infrastructure, insufficient operating resources, and precarious conditions for preserving case files.