The latest boat accident on Lake Kivu in eastern Democratic Republic of Congo in which at least 78 people died seemed to have jerked a provincial administration out of slumber.
Eyewitnesses said the vessel, MV Merdi, carrying 278 passengers – although its built capacity was 80 – was about to dock at the port of Kituku, just outside the City of Goma on October 3, 2024, after crossing the lake from the town of Minova. Survivors were estimated at 40, while many more were still missing.
Maritime experts have, in the past, suggested many causes whenever there was a shipwreck on Lake Kivu: overcrowding, poor vessel condition, turbulence, and the failure by operators and passengers to adhere to security measures.
According to Actualite, the South Kivu regional administration has decided to take some firm measures to ensure safety over Lake Kivu travels.
“The South Kivu provincial government has suspended the navigation of two boats on Lake Kivu due to ‘technical irregularities and non-compliance with navigation measures’”. The story by Justin Mwamba, published on October 18, 2024 was titled, Lake Kivu: Activities of two boats suspended for “technical irregularities”.
The decision, affecting MV Binza and MV Aganze2, was made public in two orders signed on October 16, 2024, by the provincial minister of transport.
Why MV Binza? “According to the report in my possession, it has been bitterly noted that the MV Binza boat has several technical irregularities that risk compromising human lives,” reporter Mwamba quoted the South Kivu provincial transport minister as saying.
And why did the big boss halt the operations of MV Aganze2? Actualite, again, ran words attributed to the same minister: “During the execution of this mission, it was bitterly noted that the boat MV Aganze 2 carries out activities related to navigation on Lake Kivu in gross violation of the above-mentioned measures, the most flagrant case of which is: insurance for 21 people but very unfortunately your unit clandestinely transports more than 100 passengers on board apart from the cargo of goods.”[sic].
Justin Mwamba ended the story by stating that the suspensions of operations of the two vessels “follow the measures taken” by South Kivu governor Jean Jacques Purusi after the sinking of MV Merdi.
Looked at keenly, the story failed most basic requirements of news gathering and writing.
First, the reporter did not mention the name of the South Kivu transport provincial minister whose edict is the basis of the story. In effect, a faceless regional government official gave orders with far reaching implications on the public.
Second, the story revealed that MV Binza came from the town of Minova, but was silent on the origin of MV Aganze2. Why?
Third, MV Binza was put in the dock for committing “several technical irregularities that risk compromising human lives”, yet the story mentioned none of them, yanking the door open to speculations.
Fourth, MV Aganze2 was accused of operating “in gross violation of the above-mentioned measures.” What were those? Readers weren’t told.
Fifth, reporter Justin Mwamba didn’t say when the operational suspensions of the two boats would end. Or was the punishment indefinite? Were there precedents? And is there a window for an appeal?
Sixth, the story should’ve explained the place of DRC’s national Public Riverways Authority (PRA). This is the entity with the final powers to police commerce and conduct on the country’s maritime space. What, pray, is the nexus between PRA and lower cousins in Congo’s 26 provinces?
It’s sad that Actualite published the story without any context. DRC suffers from poor infrastructure and unreliable public transport battered by decades of war and mismanagement.
The route across Lake Kivu attracts huge crowds because fighting in the region between government forces and the M23 rebels has made roads dangerous and impassable. Between Goma and Minova, lorries transporting food and other supplies are frequently stopped or raided, forcing many traders to transport across Lake Kivu. The insecurity has also pushed the cost of road transport beyond most people’s reach.
Shipwrecks have become common on Lake Kivu. For example, in 2019, more than 150 people drowned when a wooden boat capsized on its way from Kalehe in South Kivu to Goma. There are more reasons for this: boats are frequently overcrowded and overloaded; passengers are rarely given safety jackets, and often cannot swim; most vessels rarely have passenger manifests, making rescue operations difficult.
The incessant insecurity in mineral-rich eastern DRC is fuelled by foreign powers and their local warlords fearing peace would fundamentally disrupt their dining tables. In its publication, Global Conflict Tracker [updated on June 20, 2024], the Center for Preventive Action candidly captures the gravity of this matter:
“DRC is home to some of the world’s largest reserves of metals and rare earth minerals used to produce advanced electronics. As the world has become more reliant on cobalt, copper, zinc, and other minerals, local and external groups have become more incentivised to get involved in the Congolese conflict. The abundant natural resources – especially precious minerals – found in Congolese soil have globalised the conflict in eastern DRC.”
Indeed, the scenario unfolding in eastern DRC rings true of human nature as described by English philosopher Thomas Hobbes through his political views on society as captured in his book, Leviathan. The 17th century thinker argued that without government, [and the Kinshasa Administration faces serious challenges from many rebel groups] society risked breaking down into a “state of nature” without the presence of law, or anyone with power to embody the sense of authority.
Lesson learnt? Actualite used the solo peg of an official order for a story without hemming in contemporaneous context. That was akin to a doctor misdiagnosing a patient, then proceeding to treat incongruent symptoms. Such shoddiness has no place in journalism.
