'Hell behind bars' - life in DR Congo's most notorious jail

Makala Prison, located in the Democratic Republic of Congo, has gained a reputation for being one of the worst prisons in the country. Many former inmates describe their time there as 'hell. ' Stanis Bujakera, a well-known journalist, shared his traumatic experience after being released from this notorious facility. He stated, 'Makala is not a prison, but a detention center resembling a concentration camp, where people are sent to die. ' This prison, situated in the capital city of Kinshasa, was designed to hold around 1,500 prisoners, but it is currently estimated to house approximately 15,000 individuals. This extreme overcrowding includes a mix of petty criminals, political prisoners, and serious offenders. Human rights organizations have long raised concerns about the dire conditions faced by inmates at Makala, including severe overcrowding, inadequate food, and limited access to clean water. The recent events at the prison have brought these issues back into the spotlight. Earlier this week, a large number of inmates attempted to escape, resulting in tragic consequences. According to Interior Minister Jacquemain Shabani, two dozen inmates were shot during the escape attempt, while many others suffocated in the chaos. Bujakera explained that prior to the escape, prisoners had been confined in stifling cells without running water or electricity for over a day and a half. Some inmates initially broke out to escape the unbearable heat. He described the conditions as far from unusual, stating that taps 'constantly' run dry, and electricity is sporadic, leaving detainees without light for days. 'Inmates are literally abandoned to their fate, exposed to overcrowded and unsanitary conditions that foster contamination and the spread of disease,' he added. Tragically, Bujakera noted that prisoners die 'every day' due to these harsh conditions. Rostin Manketa, the executive director of the Congolese human rights group La Voix des Sans Voix, echoed Bujakera's sentiments. He has visited Makala several times and concluded that when someone is sent to this prison, 'it seems like they have been sent to hell. ' Bujakera captured stark videos during his time in Makala, showing dozens of men crammed together on the floor of an overcrowded room. Their limbs overlap, and some men even sleep atop the walls that separate shower stalls. The overcrowding is evident in the screenshots taken from Bujakera's videos, which depict the dire living conditions. Interestingly, there is a VIP section in Makala that offers better conditions, but only a small number of inmates can afford to stay there. Bujakera was initially asked to pay $3,000 for a spot in the VIP section but managed to negotiate the price down to $450. He remarked, 'Economic inequalities between inmates create a hierarchy. the poorest are abandoned to their fate. ' Furthermore, the presence of wardens in Makala is minimal, and law and order within the prison is largely left to the inmates themselves. Fred Bauma, a human rights activist who was incarcerated in Makala from March 2015 to August 2016, explained, 'Prisoners govern themselves. ' This self-governance system is dysfunctional and often leads to harmful power dynamics, violence, and conflicts among inmates. Unfortunately, Makala is not the only prison in the Democratic Republic of Congo facing such abysmal conditions. Prisons across the country are chronically underfunded and overcrowded. According to a recent project, the jails in DR Congo rank as the sixth-most overcrowded in the world. The authorities have acknowledged this issue multiple times. Following the jailbreak, Deputy Justice Minister Samuel Mbemba attributed the overcrowding to magistrates, stating that 'even mere suspects are sent to prison. ' Many inmates are held in jail for months or even years without being sentenced for a crime, simply waiting for their trial. The food provided in DR Congo's prisons has also faced widespread criticism. In Makala, inmates receive only one meal per day, which is often lacking in nutritional value. Bujakera took photos of the food served, showing a tub of hard maize meal and a watery vegetable stew. To avoid malnutrition, many prisoners rely on their families to bring food, but not everyone has that support. Manketa believes that the harsh conditions in Makala contributed to the tragic escape attempt. He argues that to prevent such incidents in the future, the authorities should invest in building new prisons and improving the existing ones. Bujakera, now residing in the United States, emphasized the urgency for change, describing the justice system as 'sick' and lamenting that people are dying while waiting for a solution.