# Kinshasa Central Market

The Kinshasa Central Market (French: Marché Central de Kinshasa, formerly known as Marché Publique), colloquially referred to as Zando ya Monene (Great Market) or simply Zando (Market) in Lingala, is a marketplace located in Kinshasa's Gombe commune, in the Democratic Republic of the Congo. Covering an expansive 90,000 square meters, it was Kinshasa's largest marketplace during Mobutu Sese Seko's reign. It was eventually eclipsed by the Marché de la Liberté during the late president Laurent-Désiré Kabila's administration. As of May 1989, the market accommodated 15,500 vendors. By 2020, that number had risen to 35,000 vendors. Renowned for its wide assortment of products, including fruits, vegetables, meat, fish, spices, cooked meals such as chikwangue, clothing, fabrics, shoes, accessories, and household goods, the marketplace also showcases distinctive Congolese handicrafts and souvenirs for tourists and visitors.
On 20 January 2021, the marketplace was temporarily shut down for rehabilitation work by the provincial Minister of Agriculture, Kanza Ne Kongo, who represent Governor Gentiny Ngobila Mbaka [fr].

## Organization and management

According to Decree Order No. SC/0027/BGV/CO/Ju/NB/2006 dated 28 June 2006, which delineates the organizational structure and operations of the Kinshasa Central Market, the marketplace operates under the governance of the following principal bodies:

### Management Committee

A Managing Committee include:
* A managing director
* An administrative assistant in charge of administration and finance
* An administrative assistant in charge of technical matters. This body oversees Kinshasa Central Market's daily operations. These facilitators are appointed and, if necessary, relieved of their duties by city's governor.

### Financial Unit

The Financial Unit is composed of:
* An accounting inspector appointed by the government
* A budget officer
* A delegated authorizing officer
The latter two positions are appointed by the urban director.

### Practical norms

According to official decrees, access to a stall is only allowed on payment of a daily stall fee.
In practice, the chiefs of the pavilions charge additional occupancy fees to the vendors. The chiefs of the pavilions keep the amount collected, but pay a commission to market administrators and sometimes to the vendors' unions. The commission paid protects the chief against probable repercussions from the market authorities. To explain these practices, one chief of the pavilion once quoted a Lingala adage saying that "the totem animal must be consumed by all those who know the law prohibiting its consumption."
For the vendors, this practical norm gives them some autonomy over their sales area.
In common parlance within the market, this action is referred to as kosomba mesa (to buy a stall) from the chief of the pavilion. Here, the verb "to buy" is used more loosely and means having a little more room for manoeuvre over occupying the space.
In practice, vendors can pass on their right of occupation to other vendors or sublet their stall, with the complicity of the chief of the pavilion, who often demands additional fees to validate the name change in their register.

## History

The Kinshasa Central Market, originally called Marché Publique or "Native" or "Public" market, was opened in January 1944 by Vice Governor General Paul Ermens and District Commissioner Roger le Bussy. It was located a few hundred meters southeast of the "covered" market, which had been relocated in 1933 from the old railway right of way to make way for Boulevard du 30 Juin. These relocations were made in response to the increasing growth and coercion of the European commercial district encroaching upon the cité indigènes (cities or neighborhoods meant for non-colonists). The newly established marketplace had approximately 1,200 vendors who served around 10,000 buyers daily. It featured an Art Deco structure that enveloped rows of concrete stalls in contrast to the Mediterranean-inspired design of the "Marché Coupole" (now recognized as African Lux).
Despite some reservations expressed by certain segments of the European population about sharing shopping spaces with Congolese local residents, the Comité Urbain, an advisory body chaired by the Commissaire de District, was hesitant to construct public facilities within the city. Instead, they utilized the marketplace, along with the adjacent park and zoo, to act as a physical buffer between the two distinct communities. In November 1948, the colonial authorities introduced a restaurant within the marketplace premises, offering Congolese local patrons the opportunity to enjoy a meal for a mere 4 francs (equivalent to about 10 cents at that time).
Following the country's independence from Belgium, the old market was demolished in 1968 and rebuilt as the current Zando during Mobutu Sese Seko's Zairianization of foreign companies. In 1970, ten pavilions with closed roofs, four papillote pavilions, two public toilet blocks, and two administrative buildings were inaugurated and occupied. These facilities were built to accommodate a capacity of 3,500 sellers in accordance with the prescriptions of Ordinance Law n°001 of 1 May 1970. However, due to factors such as rural exodus and unemployment, the number of sellers has since surpassed 20,000, leading to serious problems related to occupation, consumption, operation, and space management in the market.

## Rehabilitation

On 20 January 2021, Kanza Ne Kongo, the provincial Minister of Agriculture, representing Governor Gentiny Ngobila Mbaka, launched rehabilitation work at the site. The market's hygiene standards were deemed substandard, with no public toilets and clogged drainage pipes. The market produces up to 9 tons of waste daily, which is not adequately disposed of.
As per Minister Kanza, the revamped Zando market is expected to accommodate 62,000 vendors in a 40,000-square-kilometer space, including a waste management system and a designated trading zone. The demolition of old structures began on 18 March 2021, following the decree issued by Gentiny Ngobila Mbaka to close and renovate the trading space. The decision displaced approximately 20,000 vendors, who were temporarily assigned to nearby markets, including Avenue de la Libération (formerly 24 Novembre), Itaga, and Kalembe-Lembe. The closure also faced opposition from vendors, leading to a mass protest in front of Kinshasa's City Hall. The police dispersed the protesters with tear gas, which led to the arrest of some individuals.
Following negotiations and political pressures, the governor agreed to the creation of a marché de crise (crisis market) near the central market's construction site. Due to delays in the reconstruction, vendors began to operate temporarily in the streets near the construction site. Initially, these traders were managed by the unions' leaders, who levied a daily contribution to clean up the temporary market. A more or less official crisis market structure, headed by a chargé de mission (project manager), was later set up to replace the unions.