From: barnhart@gagme.chi.il.us (Mr Aaron Barnhart)
Subject: IPS: ZAIRE: WHEELING AND DEALING TO SURVIVE
Originator: barnhart@gagme
Organization: Evanston, Illinois
Date: Fri, 2 Oct 1992 01:21:23 GMT

Copyright Inter Press Service 1992, all rights reserved.  Permission to re-
print within 7 days of original date only with permission from 'newsdesk'.

Reference: Trade & Finance
Title: ZAIRE: WHEELING AND DEALING TO SURVIVE


an inter press service feature

by louis okamba

kinshasa, sep 24 (ips) -- one year after the devastation and
looting of kinshasa by rioters thousands of people in the
zairean capital, kinshasa, have been reduced to wheeling and
dealing in almost anything to surivive from day to day.

widely thought to have been orchestrated by president mobutu
sese seko to create a climate of fear in the country enabling
him to cling on to power, the looting of shops, houses and
companies last september has led to almost total economic
paralysis.

the most manifest sign of the sudden collapse after years of
decline, in potentially one of the richest nations on the
african continent, has been umemployment.

with most productive sectors of the economy shattered by the
looting, thousands of people in kinshasa have been forced onto
the streets with no option but to wheel and deal to feed their
families.

like many of his compatriots, michel isenge has turned to
cross border trading to try and make ends meet. he travels by
car to neigbouring angola from where he brings back foodstuffs,
typically canned milk and dry salted fish.

isenge says he left his job as a mathmatics teacher in a
kinshasa school two years ago because his salary was not
sufficient to cover his needs and those of his family.

''but even in my trade i am not yet satisfied. i have
difficulty selling my merchandise because of the low buying
power of kinois (kinshasa residents) who cannot afford to pay
cash''.

but many kinois from all walks of life, the unemployed and
those who have deserted the civil service, are said to be
involved in what is essentially smuggling.

according to a recent report by the zairean institute of
statistics, price increases have rocketed in kinshasa's
markets from 25 percent in april, to 82 percent in july.
(more/ips)


zaire: wheeling (2)

inflation and the plight of kinshasa residents has
been further aggravated by the increase in the price of fuel
mid-september from less than one u.s. cent to about 22 cents a
litre.

a new, one million zaire (zairean currency) bill has been
introduced worth about 50 u.s. cents.

while the prices of basic foodstuffs such as beans, rice
meat and eggs have increased by more than 50 percent, the
average salary of a civil servant remains constant at about six
dollars.

an official in the ministry of agriculture, clement mushala
says the economy is now dominated by the informal sector and
while awaiting better days hustling remains ''the only way out''
for zaireans.

this attractive, vibrant city was once known as the ''little
paris''.

now, at the various street corners it is not uncommon
to see youths like medard mbala, 18 years old, intercepting
taxis, persuading customers to jump in and then demanding a
percentage of the profits from the driver for ''services
rendered''.

automobile mechanic, lucien kasongo has choosen the centre of
kinshasa as his work place. equipped with his tools he hangs
around waiting to spot cars that may be having trouble starting
and then rushes to assist the unfortunate driver -- for a fee.

''but it is really next to nothing says a taxi driver'', who
is parked nearby waiting for customers.

women too have learnt to become resourceful and many of them
have become the real pillars of their households.

by four o'clock in the morning, kinshasa women are to be seen
on the streets rushing to the bakeries to buy bread to for
resale or to the markets where lorries bring in fresh
agricultural produce from the rural areas.

they do not return home until  late in the evening to cook
for their families who genrally eat only one meal a day.
(end/ips/lo/tvh/92)


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