Mobile Money Systems: Another Burden on the People of Kivu

Since the takeover of Goma and Bukavu by the AFC/M23, the central government in Kinshasa has imposed a measure of unspeakable cruelty: the unilateral closure of banks in the zones administered by the rebellion. Officially presented as an administrative decision, it is in reality a collective punishment and a deliberate economic blockade inflicted by a regime willing to sacrifice its own people for political calculations.

By depriving thousands of households and economic operators of access to their bank accounts, the authorities in Kinshasa are paralyzing the economies of North Kivu and South Kivu. This decision is suffocating a population that has already endured decades of suffering, warfare, and instability.

The hypocrisy of the ruling power becomes glaringly apparent when examining the country's recent history. During the presidency of Joseph Kabila, the Kasai region the home region of current head of state Félix Tshisekedi was the scene of occupations by the Kamuina Nsapu militia. Proven links connected this militia to the UDPS, then in opposition, and serious violence was committed. Yet, the Kabila regime never once implemented punitive measures or an economic blockade aimed at stifling the population of Kasai. Today, Félix Tshisekedi is doing the exact opposite: he is collectively punishing the people of Kivu to counter his political opponents.

The Mobile Money System: Another Burden on the Population of Kivu

Faced with the closure of banks, residents naturally turned to Mobile Money solutions (M-Pesa, Airtel Money, Orange Money, Africell Money) for their daily survival. Unfortunately, the misfortune of some fuels the profits of the cynical.

​In complicity with certain economic operators in Goma and Bukavu, mobile network operators have established a genuine system of institutionalized extortion:

• Exorbitant fees: For every withdrawal in U.S. dollars, the operator charges more than 10% of the amount withdrawn.
• Additional deductions: The street-level booth or exchange agent takes an additional cut of approximately 3.6%.
• An unsustainable cumulative toll: In the end, customers lose between 13.6% and sometimes up to 20% of their money on each withdrawal.

Caught in a vise between a central government that is economically bombarding them and unscrupulous telecommunications networks exploiting them, the population is enduring a true ordeal.

The Call from the Daraja Media Editorial Board

The appeal from our editorial board is directed along two fronts:

• To the AFC/M23 leadership: As they work to establish rigorous governance and stabilize security on the ground, it is urgent that they exert pressure on economic and mobile network operators. The welfare of the people must take precedence: this unbearable financial burden must be alleviated without delay.
• To the international community: It is time to break its complicit silence and pressure the Kinshasa regime to demand the immediate lifting of these illegal punitive measures. Kivu's economy must be allowed to return to normal functioning so its citizens can live with dignity.