Kinshasa’s battle with plastic waste

Toko Oola

Amegalopolis in the heart of Africa, Kinshasa is the capital city of the Democratic Republic of Congo with an estimated population of 15 million people. It’s reknown for its rich music history and fashion-conscious locals. Bars and nightclubs are always teeming with Congolese revellers out to have a good time - they call it “Tosepela na biso” which means let’s enjoy ourselves in the Lingala language. Authorities in this sprawling city are facing a huge problem of keeping drainage channels and waterways clean because of the poor waste disposal practices among the residents.

According to the Kinshasa Sewage and Public Works Authority, there are at least 7,000 tons of waste including 1,500 tons of plastic produced daily in the city. In 2019, the Governor of Kinshasa, Gentiny Ngobila launched a programme known as KinBopeto which translates to Keep Kinshasa Clean. City officials put new garbage bins across the city centre and carried out outreach programmes to educate the residents about the dangers of living in a filthy environment. But Kinshasa is no ordinary city when it comes to heeding the call of politicians. Many people have developed a rebellious attitude towards politicians because of the corruption that a number of them have been involved in for decades. And so, the citizens choose to continue dumping trash in drainage channels despite the threat it has on their lives. A taxi driver in the city once remarked, “If they want us to change our mentality and start keeping the city clean, let them stop stealing tax payers’ money.”

In December 2022, a heavy downpour caused floods and triggered landslides that killed at least 169 people in Kinshasa. More than 30,000 people were affected by that calamity. It was described as the worst flooding disaster in the country’s history. The DRC President Felix Tshisekedi attributed it to Climate Change but city authorities blamed Kinshasa residents for blocking the drainage channels by dumping their waste irresponsibly. It’s barely two months since the tragic event but the poor waste disposal practices of “Kinois” as the residents of this city are known hasn’t changed for the better.

Kinshasa is grappling with the challenge of a rapidly growing population that hasn’t been met with adequate infrastructure. Most of the country’s drainage system was built by the Belgians during the colonial period. Some modifications have been made by authorities in recent years but it hasn’t matched the rise in the population. A new initiative of recycling plastics has been introduced to try and solve this daunting problem. A plant that recycles 50 tons of plastic waste per day has been launched by a company called OK Plast at the Limete suburb of Kinshasa. The 15 million Euro Project is a partnership between the company and the Congolese government aimed at managing plastic waste. The collection of plastics is also a source of employment for many young people. But city authorities still have a lot of work to do to sort out the waste disposal problems. Widespread unemployment and poverty have given rise to the construction of a multitude of makeshift houses on the outskirts of the city without any garbage disposal sites. According to some residents, that has been facilitated by corrupt officials who get bribes and approve construction projects in unauthorized areas. Many ordinary Congolese who are fed up with the system often say...”Mboka ekufi pona lokoso ya mbongo.” The country is dead because of the love for money!

A holistic approach of tackling poor governance, corruption and urban planning will go a long way in taking this city from being known as “Kin poubelle” (Kinshasa trash) to Kin La belle (The Beautiful Kinshasa) as it was known in its glory days.