DR CONGO · POLITICS
Key Facts
- —The country The Democratic Republic of Congo is a Central African nation, rich in copper and cobalt, whose parliament sits in the capital Kinshasa.
- —What happened On Wednesday 21 October 2026 lawmaker Hermione Bolumbe said she will file a no-confidence motion against Agriculture Minister Muhindo Nzangi.
- —The money The dispute is about US$57 million of African Development Bank funding, which the minister says equals 40 million bank units of account.
- —The project The funding backs a youth farming and agribusiness project known as PEJAB, which was due to end in December 2025.
- —The accusation Bolumbe alleges embezzlement; the minister told lawmakers the funds are still there and are being paid out gradually.
- —The rules A motion needs the signatures of a tenth of lawmakers, and a vote at least 48 hours after filing, under the constitution.
- —Still open Bolumbe planned to file on Thursday 22 October, and no audit or court finding has been cited.
A lawmaker says she will ask parliament to remove the DR Congo minister of agriculture over US$57 million of bank funding meant for young farmers. Hermione Bolumbe, who represents Mont-Amba, a district of Kinshasa, made the announcement on Wednesday 21 October 2026 after a heated session.
Minister of State Muhindo Nzangi answered her questions in the National Assembly the same day, and she said he had answered none of them. The Congolese news sites Actualite.cd and Radio Okapi reported the exchange, and Bolumbe’s accusation of embezzlement is so far only an allegation.
What Happened in the National Assembly
Bolumbe had tabled an oral question with debate, a format in which a minister must answer lawmakers in open session. Her aim was to learn how far the youth farming project had come and how its money had been spent.
Lawmakers asked how many companies the project had created, how many young people had been funded and how the bank’s money was used. After the debate Bolumbe said the minister had not answered any of her concerns.
What the Funding Is For
The project is called PEJAB, a French acronym for the Youth Entrepreneurship in Agriculture and Agribusiness Project. The African Development Bank, a lender owned by African and non-African governments, approved it on 9 December 2016.
The bank’s project page lists 40 million units of account from its African Development Fund plus 1.079 million from Congo, 41.079 million in all. The minister put the 40 million at US$57 million, the figure at the centre of the dispute, though today’s rate gives about US$54 million.
What the Minister Told Lawmakers
The DR Congo minister, Muhindo Nzangi, said the money is still available and is being paid out step by step. In his words, young people are presenting business plans and the project is funding them gradually.
He said the first money reached the project only in 2024, seven years after launch, because of slow bank procedures and lender conditions. He added that the financing agreements limit how funds can be moved to activities or provinces not planned at the start.
What Bolumbe Alleges
Bolumbe says she holds information pointing to suspected embezzlement of the funds by the DR Congo minister. She said the head of the president’s office had earlier written a note warning the minister of a US$57 million diversion.
That note has not been published, and Actualite.cd and Congo Quotidien both present the claim as her own statement. She alleges the diversion of the full US$57 million, and no audit or court finding has been cited.
How a Motion Against a Minister Works
Under Article 146 of the constitution, a motion against one member of the government needs the signatures of a tenth of the National Assembly. The debate and vote can take place no sooner than 48 hours after filing.
Adoption needs an absolute majority of all members, and under Article 147 a minister who loses is treated as having resigned. If the motion fails, its signatories may not file another in the same session.
Where the Case Stands
Congo Quotidien reported that Bolumbe planned to file the motion at the Assembly’s bureau on Thursday 22 October, and she says colleagues have already signed. Reports published on Thursday afternoon still described the motion as planned, and the minister has not yet answered the accusation in public.
The project was due to end in December 2025 and is now in its last phase of execution, according to Radio Okapi. Rio Times has also covered questions over a US$17.6 million wire and US$700 million in Ebola funds in Congo.
What It Means for US Readers
The United States is a shareholder in the African Development Bank, so projects like this one involve money from many donor countries, including American taxpayers. Aid officials and investors watch how Kinshasa handles lender funds as Washington and Congo discuss minerals and security.
A formal motion also shows that parliament is willing to question a minister in public, which matters for anyone judging Congo’s governance. For a wider view of the country’s politics, see the Rio Times guide to DR Congo.
What Is Not Known
It is not known whether the motion was filed on Thursday, how many lawmakers signed it, or when a vote could be held. No audit, court ruling or bank statement has been reported saying that any of the US$57 million is missing.
The note from the president’s office has not been seen, and the DR Congo minister has not replied to the claim. How much has been paid to young farmers so far is also unstated.
More: DR Congo news in English, every day from The Rio Times.
Frequently Asked Questions
Who is Muhindo Nzangi?
He is the DR Congo minister of state for Agriculture and Food Security, a senior government post. He answered lawmakers’ questions on Wednesday 21 October 2026.
What is the US$57 million?
It is the size of African Development Bank funding for a youth farming and agribusiness project called PEJAB. The minister said it equals 40 million bank units of account.
Has anyone been charged with embezzlement?
No charge has been reported. Lawmaker Hermione Bolumbe alleges embezzlement, and the minister says the funds are available and being paid out.
What happens if parliament adopts the motion?
A DR Congo minister whose motion is adopted by an absolute majority of lawmakers is treated as having resigned. The vote can come no sooner than 48 hours after filing.
When could parliament vote on the motion?
The constitution says the debate and vote on a motion against the DR Congo minister can take place no sooner than 48 hours after filing. Adoption needs an absolute majority of all members of the National Assembly.
Sources: Actualite.cd, RDC : une motion de défiance annoncée contre Muhindo Nzangi, 21 October 2026; Radio Okapi, Muhindo Nzangi interpellé sur les 57 millions USD de la BAD, 22 October 2026; Actualite.cd, Assemblée nationale: le certificat foncier et les difficultés du PEJAB, 22 October 2026; Congo Quotidien, Muhindo Nzangi : une motion de défiance annoncée, 22 October 2026; African Development Bank, PEJAB project page, accessed 22 October 2026.
This article was produced by The Rio Times’ automated newsroom system. How we use AI · Report an error · Editorial responsibility: Matthias Camenzind, Editor-in-Chief