Africa Water, Sanitation & Hygiene December 2018 Vol.13 No.6 | Page 5

NEWS in brief
DRC Congo
Kinshasa: Kinshasa Is Drowning in Waste
Every day almost 9,000 tons of garbage accumulate in
Kinshasa. The Congolese capital does not have a functioning
garbage collection system. Consequences for the health of the
“Kinois” are catastrophic.
The area in front
of Kinshasa’s main
stations is bustling
with activity. And
everybody has to
make
their
way
through piles of
garbage.
Passing
vehicles whirl up plastic and paper bags. The scenario
repeats itself all around town. It is an everyday torture for
the “Kinois”, as the inhabitants of Kinshasa are known.
Many people say that they are disgusted: “It gets worse
every year. Our once so beautiful Kinshasa has degenerated
into a big dump,” a woman told DW. Another one added:
“We Congolese obviously despise our country. Otherwise
we would not allow our cities to sink into such filth.”
Jules Mulimbi, in charge of environment and sustainable
development at Kinshasa City Council, is worried about
the quality of life in the capital too. “For me, a healthy
environment is a fundamental human right,” he told DW.
The problem is not just the completely inefficient disposal
of waste. The behavior of the inhabitants also contributes
to the problem. “The solution begins with every single
citizen, every single family. If everyone disposed of the
garbage on their own doorstep, we would already have
solved part of the problem,” said Mulimbi.
Health risks for poor neighborhoods
In the past Kinshasa used to be considered a beautiful city.
People called her ‘Kinshasa, the coquette’, to describe her
allure. Today, Kinshasa is connoted with garbage rather
than feminine charms. “Litter also poses a great health
risk,” said Jeanne, who didn’t give her full name. She says
the situation in her neighborhood is bad. “Most gutters are
clogged with plastic bags and bottles. The water doesn’t
run off when it rains. During the rainy season, most slums
are flooded.”
In the Pakajuma district, about three kilometers from
the main railway station, there are mountains of rubbish
everywhere. Children and many animals, including pigs are
always seen foraging for food. Sewage flows down the hills.
Under the hot sun, the stench is hardly bearable. Latrines
are a luxury here.
“Just look at how people live here! No wonder there are so
many cholera cases in the area,” said Mimi Mututu, deputy
Around Africa
coordinator of the NGO Logos Premier, which is working
to clean up the neighborhood. “People use dirty water to
wash, drink and cook,” she told DW.
This poses a danger to their health, said Mimi Mututu:
“People here live in an environment that is not clean and
not healthy. That’s why there are many cases of malaria,
typhus, cholera and other diseases,” Mututu noted.
Megacity with no professional waste management
Kinshasa is growing very fast. It is the third largest city
in Africa after Cairo and Lagos. It is estimated that its 17
million inhabitants produce around 9,000 tons of garbage
a day. That is a huge volume, especially for a city that has
no professional waste management. The European Union
used to support a waste disposal program, but aid was
stopped in 2015. The problem got noticeably worse.
There are obvious solutions. The waste water flowing
freely in the poor districts must be canalized, the litter
collected and composted in proper landfills, incinerated
or processed for recycling. The recycling of valuable raw
materials could even develop into a profitable business
model, said Jules Mulimbi of the Kinshasa City Council.
“The processing and recycling of waste is actually a major
challenge for us. But the problem can not only be solved
locally, there must also be cooperation with the provinces,”
Mulimbi explained.
The battle can be won
Mimi Mututu of the non-governmental organization
Logos Premier concurred: “Waste is not worthless. Our
government should do everything in its power to recognize
the value of waste and to use it,” Mututu said. She explained
that in the past only iron was separated and recycled. “But
we are now increasingly working on separating hard plastic
as well. I think we will win this battle, “she told DW. For
that to happen “.we must raise public awareness. And
first and foremost, we need to educate people about the
dangers of the garbage problem,” Mututu said.
According to the authorities, a monthly budget of 12
million US dollars is needed to deal with the situation. This
is a colossal amount, which administrators plan to finance
through new taxes. But until then, the health of Kinois will
stay under threat.
eSwatini
African Development Bank loan to extend safe water
supply and sanitation to Manzini Region in eSwatini
The Board of Directors has approved a ZAR 720 million
loan to finance the Manzini Region Water Supply and
Sanitation Project in eSwatini (former Swaziland). The
Africa Water, Sanitation & Hygiene • December 2018
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