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Before the war, Manono was a pretty happening place. Post office, electricity, trade schools, running water. Big tree-lined boulevards with promenades and nice shops on either side. There was even a section of town with paved streets and huge European houses.
Mining was the mainstay of the economy and, under the Pro-Western government of Mobutu, a handful of foreign companies were busy pulling as many minerals out of the region as fast as they could. With the outbreak of war, all of these companies pulled out and none have returned. Hundreds of individuals now comb the tailings piles in hopes of finding something they can sell in what is now termed “artesian mining”…but there hasn’t been steady work in the mines here for quite a while.
Ruins
When people ask how was Manono, I tell them that it used to be a nice place. There are rusted out cars sitting on blocks in a few of the yards. Beautiful European-style houses are vacant and overgrown. Stores lining the boulevards are boarded up and there really isn’t so much traffic anymore. While there is a lively market, there isn’t really much in terms of shopping and prices are high because everything is either flown in or comes hundreds of kilometers by truck.
The hydro-electric plant that supplied power to the entire region was build by the Belgians in the 1960s. It survived Independence and stayed operations throughout Mobutu’s regime when so many of the other services were neglected. It wasn’t until 1998 when troops, advancing in their successful coup to overthrow Mobutu, stole the transformers and took them back to Rwanada.
5 years of war followed and the plant is now far from functional. Transmission lines were stolen and sold for their copper. The water channels feeding the power station developed leaks and flooded the buildings. Tin sheets found new homes. Instead of providing power for tens of thousands, the locals now use this relic as a good place to fish.
I’m still not sure how I feel about the gross exploitation of natural resources in this area. It is true that not much (or any!) of the profits stayed in the DRC. It is also fairly unlikely that there were Congolese living in the fancy European-style houses. But there was work and that has to count for something. Without the mines, there are so few options for employment. There is no electricity. No roads or bridges will get fixed.
Rebuilding?
Following the war, Manono was a hub for NGO activity. A number of organizations started projects and a large MONUC base was opened. Now, as funding to aid agencies continues to be diverted to the Kivus, one by one these NGOs are closing shop and employment opportunities spiral downwards.
In effect, the population is living on the edge. Medical services are extremely limited and food security is low. Rumors of malnutrition are circulating. Roads exist but are barely passable. School teachers are paid $30 US a month. True, there is no longer war in Katanaga…but the population is not out of it just yet.
From my perspective, the trip was a success. The project coordinator caught her flight to Goma and will cross into Rwanda to catch an international flight to Nairobi for a training course. Sound complicated? THAT path is currently the easiest way to get out of the country from Shamwana!!
I was also able to buy simple things like fresh eggs, tomatoes, oranges, garlic and onions, eggplant, papayas, bicycle repair parts, scribblers, engine oil, a few raincoats, and some plastic sheeting. Most of this stuff isn’t available in Shamwana…and, if it is, it is way more expensive. We haven’t had a plane land in Shamwana for over 3 months so it was nice to have some fresh vegetables for the weekend!
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