Government Acknowledges Delays in Civil Servants’ Salaries

KINSHASA March 6, 2026 - The Democratic Republic of Congo government has acknowledged delays in salary payments for civil servants, citing strain on public finances, and pledged a return to regular payments within the month. At a meeting on March 5, the government, led by Prime Minister Judith Suminwa, and the Economic Situation Committee (CCE) reviewed public finances, monetary dynamics, market prices, and the potential effects of the Middle East crisis on the Congolese economy. Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of National Economy Daniel Mukoko Samba confirmed that delayed salaries result from pressure on the treasury, compounded by security and humanitarian expenditures linked to the ongoing conflict in eastern DRC. “The delay is due to strain on the treasury,” Mukoko Samba explained. “A few months ago, the Government already emphasized the growing burden of the wage bill. We are taking measures to strengthen revenue collection and better control spending to restore timely salary payments.” He reassured that steps to improve payroll management and public revenue collection, aligned with President Félix Tshisekedi’s directives, should normalize payments within the month. The recurring delays have drawn attention from economists, such as Deputy Gode Mpoy, who noted that exchange rate fluctuations contribute to shortfalls when payrolls are calculated in USD but converted to Congolese francs. The government, however, rejects claims of liquidity problems, maintaining that sufficient resources are available. The International Monetary Fund (IMF) has also flagged the growing public sector wage bill as a fiscal risk, particularly in education, health, and justice, where recent salary adjustments, recruitment, and administrative regularizations have strained the budget. President Tshisekedi previously instructed a comprehensive payroll audit, with results expected within 30 days, aimed at ensuring sustainable public finances and regular, reliable salary payments for civil servants. This move comes as the DRC faces increased expenditures related to security operations, including responses to the AFC/M23 rebellion in North and South Kivu, highlighting the delicate balance between fiscal management and social stability.