With our correspondent in Kinshasa, Kamanda wa Kamanda Muzembe

According to Jean-Pierre Lihau, the Deputy Prime Minister, this increase will be progressive. The government and the Civil Service Trade Union Federation have agreed on a 30% increase in salaries for civil servants and other career personnel of the State. Military and police included, specifies the Deputy Prime Minister in charge of the Civil Service.

According to Mr. Lihau, another increase is planned for the third quarter of this year, this time of 45%. The Congolese government intends thus to respond to recurring demands from civil servants regarding their standard of living.

Price increases

The latter have been complaining for years of difficulties, with a household shopping basket nearly empty. They affirm that "the cost of living is depreciating daily, a loaf of bread that was selling for 200 Congolese francs a few days ago now costs more than double". Some civil servants are also demanding major reforms and a cleanup of the public administration, for example the departure of some 350,000 people eligible for retirement.

To carry out this salary increase, Congolese authorities hope to be able to recover money unduly received by agents, called cumuls, who find themselves on multiple payrolls in the different ministries of the Public Administration.