Prison Overhaul Controversy

Plans to transfer prisoners from a jail in Goma to one in a lawless, violent part of the North Kivu region, has left many fearing for their lives.



The plans are part of an overhaul of the local prison system which will see the renovation of a jail in Goma, the capital of North Kivu province, in the east of the Democractic Republic of Congo, DRC, and the rebuilding of another some distance away in a conflict-wracked part of the region.



Overcrowding in the former jail will be resolved by transferring inmates to the latter.



Renovation has already begun at Goma’s Munzenze jail. Europe has already pledged 40,000 euro to the Reform of the Justice Sector in Congo, REJUSCO, project undertaking the work - which will connect the inner yard’s electrical system to the national power grid, and rebuild the prison’s bathrooms, walls, showers, doors, roof, and floor.



Much of the prison’s interior renovations will be done by inmates who will be compensated under an agreement with the prison’s director and the project foreman.



Some improvements have already been made. Prisoners now have mattresses and blankets and no longer sleep on the floor. And, a separate prison unit has been created for women and minors, as well as a medical unit. A fence has been erected around the jail to improve security.



The deputy coordinator for the REJUSCO and the prison facilities in the province, Robert Amisi, said the renovations are nearly half complete. For nearly a month now, all Munzenze cells have had lighting.



In addition to renovating Munzenze, officials want to rebuild the Nyongera prison and farm in Rutshuru, some 75 kilometres from Goma, which currently is used to grow food for inmates, such as beans and corn.



Once operational, the Nyongera prison will house an estimated 300 to 400 inmates, and will be used to relieve the overcrowded conditions at Munzenze. Although it was designed for 150 inmates, Munzenze today has about four times that number.



Nyongera is an old prison that was emptied in November 1996 by the Allied Democratic Liberation Forces, AFDL, of former Congolese president Laurent Désiré Kabila.



Although the Nyongera region is occupied by federal army units of the Armed Forces of the Democratic Republic of Congo, FARDC, it remains unstable.



Residents of the region complain of frequent attacks, killings and lootings by either federal forces or the lawless Mai-Mai militia fighters. Because of this, most of the residents of Nyongera live in refugee camps protected by United Nations forces and assisted by aid organisations.



Although justice officials have said the rebuilding of Nyongera prison will be completed soon, few prisoners want to be transferred there because of the fighting.



Inmates of Munzenze say they would prefer to die in prison there than “under the Mai-Mai sword”.



Desperate to avoid possible transfer to Nyongera prison, about a dozen inmates recently attempted to escape from Munzenze. Jail officials said one was shot dead when a guard opened fire on the escapees and a second died after jumping off a wall.



But security at Nyongera may not be prisoners only worry.



Lubamba Lundambwe, a Goma lawyer who’s defending the rights of inmates, said those from Goma prefer to stay closer to family members who supplement their meagre food rations.



Prison director Joseph Mirindi said he is appealing to the government of the province to ensure that inmates are fed every day. “The renovation by REJUSCO is a good thing,” he said, “however, the state must also think about the current problem of the food supplies for prisoners.”



Currently, the inmates are fed two ladles of mbungule, a mixture of beans and corn, prepared without salt or oil, but this is not always regular. Some report that they go four days or more without food and survive by drinking only tap water.



From his darkly-lit cell, one young prisoner, serving a three-year sentence for rape, questioned the renovations. “What is the purpose of refreshing the paint on the walls of a cell accommodating a desperate man with no future?” he asked.



The inmate complained of serious stomach pain due to the poor diet at the prison.



Others also question the merits of renovating Munzenze.



Pierre Mazambi, a lawyer and professor at the Free University of the Great Lakes in Goma, suggested that the state build a new and larger prison in the area.



He also suggested that land be set aside for cultivation by the prisoners, so they’ll be able to not only grow their own food but also learn agricultural skills and become useful citizens.



But the state remains focused on its plans for Munzenze and Nyongera.



“As soon as the security situation will have improved, no doubt Nyongera will serve to relieve Munzenze,” said Amisi.



Amisi has appealed to the people of Goma to trust that the renovations by REJUSCO will improve justice for the residents of North Kivu.



Sara Nsimire is an IWPR trainee.