In 2022, the government of Congo-Brazzaville concluded a series of agreements with Kigali, which involved conceding over 22,000 hectares of agricultural land to Rwanda for a period of 25 years. Recently, this deal has sparked significant criticism on social media platforms and has been seized upon by political opposition in Congo.
Dave Mafoula, a member of the Sovereignist Party and a former presidential candidate in 2021, voiced strong disapproval of the land concession agreements during a press conference held last Friday. Mafoula, who was supported by his followers at the event, claimed that more than 11,000 hectares of the granted land were sold for a symbolic franc. He described the agreements as vague and a potential breach of Congo’s sovereignty.
During his address, Mafoula highlighted the scale of the land concession, stating, “When the Rwandans say what we’ve given them is six times the size of the city of Kigali, you understand that such actions cannot be justified. We demand that all dealings be conducted lawfully and with respect for the law. If anything is happening outside the legal framework, the Congolese people should not accept it.”
Many Congolese on social media have echoed Mafoula’s call for the termination of these land concession agreements. Mafoula himself has announced plans to approach the Prime Minister to seek the withdrawal or annulment of what he deems illegal decrees concerning the land allocation.
In defense, an official source from the government claimed the accusations were unjustified but failed to provide further details. Congo boasts at least 10 million hectares of arable land, of which only 5% is currently used for subsistence farming.
