Lecturers end their strike over poor pay after five months

Lecturers and academic staff from the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) have resumed academic activities, five months after they embarked on a strike over what they described as their “mistreatment” by the government.

In January 2023, the staff of universities and other higher education institutions started their protest under the banner of Le Réseau des Associations des Professeurs des Universités et Instituts Supérieurs de la République Démocratique du Congo, or RAPUICO (a network of associations representing lecturers at institutions in the DRC).

The network raised several issues, including the remuneration of staff, pointing out that their monthly salaries were 120 times less than that of a member of parliament, and that the salaries of assistant lecturers, for instance, was lower than that of drivers or gardeners who works for corporate organisations.

Another matter that irked academic staff members related to subsidised transport. Professors accused the minister of higher education of unilateral involvement in a government subsidy system that intends to help academic staff purchase vehicles aimed at facilitating the transport of lecturers and academic staff.

The government availed the facility to allow lecturers and academic staff to buy vehicles but the process was delayed after the minister of higher education allegedly got involved in the purchasing and distribution processes.

“Following the significant progress in implementing the commitments by the government contained in the ... [earlier] agreement, we, RAPUICO, decided to end the strike,” said the association in a news release.

According to the statement, signed by Professor Rudolph Iyolo and Jean-Marie Longonya, who are the RAPUICO coordinator and general secretary respectively, the government undertook to address the issues, putting an end to the prolonged strike.

“This comes after we took several steps to engage with the government to execute the commitments and [its] promises to address our concerns,” they said.

According to the news release, the government has adjusted the salaries of staff in the public sector with 50%, which will be implemented over time for all concerned staff.

Another pressing issue that was agreed upon includes the continuation of the process to provide subsidised vehicles to lecturers in the public sector.