Senator Tables Public Works Reform Bill

Kinshasa, August 3, 2026 - Senator Jean Bamanisa Saïdi has submitted a framework bill to the Senate aimed at overhauling the planning, financing, construction, maintenance and oversight of public works in the Democratic Republic of the Congo.

The bill, transmitted to the Senate president on July 20, covers strategic infrastructure including roads, bridges, railways, ports and airports. It proposes a national georeferenced database to improve transparency and project monitoring across the public works sector.

The draft also introduces mechanisms intended to ensure project completion, including decennial guarantees to preserve infrastructure quality. It would establish a national unit-cost reference system to curb overbilling practices identified by the General Inspectorate of Finance and the Court of Accounts.

Violations would carry fines starting at 50 million Congolese francs. The proposal does not replace existing sector laws, but seeks to create a more structured governance framework for future infrastructure development, a key issue for investment, logistics and public procurement oversight.