drc integrated governance activity (iga)

This publication was produced by the Integrated Governance Activity under Contract No. AID-660-C-17-00001 at the request of the United States Agency for International Development. This document is made possible by the support of the American people through the United States Agency for International Development. Its contents are the sole responsibility of the author or authors and do not necessarily reflect the

views of USAID or the U.S. Government.

DRC INTEGRATED GOVERNANCE

ACTIVITY (IGA)

Annual Report - FY2020

This publication was produced by the Integrated Governance Activity under Contract No. AID-660-C-17-00001 at the request of the United States Agency for International Development. This document is made possible by the support of the American people through the United States Agency for International Development. Its contents are the sole responsibility of the author or authors and do not necessarily reflect the

views of USAID or the U.S. Government.

Program Title: Integrated Governance Activity (IGA)

Sponsoring USAID Office: USAID DRC

Contract Number: AID-660-C-17-00001

Contractor: DAI Global, LLC

Date of Publication: October 30, 2020

USAID.GOV USAID IGA ANNUAL REPORT 2020 | 1

CONTENTS

ACRONYMS AND ABBREVIATIONS 2

ACTIVITY OVERVIEW/SUMMARY 3

EXECUTIVE SUMMARY 3

ACTIVITY IMPLEMENTATION PROGRESS 6

INTEGRATION OF CROSSCUTTING ISSUES AND USAID FORWARD

PRIORITIES 33

GENDER EQUALITY AND WOMEN’S EMPOWERMENT 33

YOUTH ENGAGEMENT 39

LOCAL CAPACITY DEVELOPMENT 41

SUSTAINABILITY 45

ENVIRONMENTAL COMPLIANCE 46

MANAGEMENT AND ADMINISTRATIVE ISSUES 46

MONITORING, EVALUATION, AND LEARNING 48

INDICATORS 48

EVALUATION/ASSESSMENT STATUS AND/OR PLANS 59

CHALLENGES & LESSONS LEARNED 62

CHALLENGES 62

LESSONS LEARNED 62

ANNEXES 63

ANNEX A. COMMUNICATION AND OUTREACH MESSAGES 63

ANNEX B. TECHNICAL MATERIALS 63

ANNEX C. SUCCESS STORIES 63

ANNEX D. RESERVED 63

ANNEX E. GIS DATA 63


ACRONYMS AND ABBREVIATIONS

CARG Conseil Agricole Rurale de Gestion (Agriculture and Rural Management Council)

CODESA Comité de Développement Sanitaire (Health Development Committee)

COGE Comite de Gestion (Community-based Management Committee)

COPA Comité des Parents (Parents’ Committee)

COREF Comité d’Orientation de la Reforme des Finances Publiques (Financial Reform

Steering Committee)

CSO Civil Society Organization

CTAD Cellule Technique d’Appui à la Décentralisation (Decentralization Technical

Support Unit)

DFAP USAID Food Security Project

DPS Divisions Provinciales de Santé (Provincial Health Division)

DRC Democratic Republic of Congo

ETD Decentralized Territorial Entities

GDA Global Development Alliance

HFG Health Finance and Governance

IGA Integrated Governance Activity

IMA IMA World Health

IPS Inspection Provinciale de la Santé (Provincial Health Inspectorate)

KVC Kivu Value Chain Project

M&E Monitoring and Evaluation

MECC Monitoring, Evaluation and Coordination Contract

MEL Monitoring, Evaluation and Learning

MELP Monitoring, Evaluation and Learning Plan

NGO Non-Governmental Organization

PBG Programme de Bonne Gouvernance (Good Governance Program)

PEA Political Economy Analysis

PFM Public Financial Management

PICAL Participatory Institutional Capacity Assessment and Learning

PIRS Project Indicator Reference Sheet

PPP Public-Private Partnership

PSC Provincial Steering Committee

SPR Solutions for Peace and Recovery

UNICEF United Nations Children’s Fund

USAID United States Agency for International Development

WHO World Health Organization


ACTIVITY OVERVIEW/SUMMARY

Table 1: USAID IGA Activity Overview

Activity Name:

Integrated Governance Activity

Activity Start Date:

January 09,2017

Activity End Date:

January 08, 2022

Name of Prime Implementing Partner:

DAI Global LLC

Contract Number:

AID-660-C-17-00001

Name of Subcontractors/Sub

awardees:

Geopoll, Integrity

Geographic Coverage

(Provinces)

Kasai Central, Kasai Oriental, Lualaba, Haute Katanga, South Kivu, North Kivu,

Haut Uele

Reporting Period:

October 1, 2019 – September 30, 2020

EXECUTIVE SUMMARY

The United States Agency for International Development Integrated Governance Activity (USAID IGA)

is a five-year (2017-2022) USAID-funded activity designed to create the good governance framework

and local capacity necessary for improved delivery of key services, particularly for health, education, and

economic development. USAID IGA empowers a broadly inclusive set of nongovernmental actors to

hold public officials to account for better services by changing the incentives of officials at all levels of

government to act in the best interests of the citizenry. USAID IGA is implemented in five provinces

across the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) – Kasai Central, Kasai Oriental, Lualaba, Haut Katanga,

Sud Kivu – and the territory of Walikali.

USAID IGA’s specific objectives are built around the interaction of the governance cycle as follows:

Objective 1: Strengthen capacity of select government institutions to fulfill mandate;

Objective 2: Targeted subnational entities collaborate with citizens for more effective development;

and

Objective 3: Citizen demand for accountable, transparent, participatory services increased.

During FY20, USAID IGA was able to not only resume activities with DRC government institutions, but

also expand its geographic reach. In October 2019, TIP sanctions were lifted allowing the project to

implement and fund activities involving DRC government institutions. The project also worked closely

with USAID to align geographic priorities and modify the project’s scope permitting IGA to extend its

influence beyond the boundaries of the original target provinces. With this, IGA began providing


assistance to decentralized territorial entities (ETDs) deemed of high strategic importance by the USAID

Mission. These ETDs include those receiving royalties from commercial mining companies and others in

ebola affected areas. As a result, IGA revised the Year 4 Annual Work Plan to reflect the changing

priorities, including identifying ETDs within the new areas and opening a new provincial office in

Butembo, North Kivu to better reach ebola-impacted areas.

FY20 also marked the first COVID-19 case discovered in Kinshasa on March 10th. The DRC

Government reacted quickly implementing mitigation measures, including issuing passenger flight

restrictions between Kinshasa and all locations within DRC and limiting gatherings to 20 participants.

Additionally, circulation in Gombe Commune within Kinshasa was restricted from April 9th through

April 23rd, hindering access to the IGA Kinshasa office. Essential IGA-Kinshasa staff were able to resume

going into the office once restrictions were lifted. Meanwhile, IGA provincial offices continued to

operate working within locally initiated constraints to implement activities as planned. Offices worked to

obtain provincial and/or local dispensations to travel and hold activities adhering to the mandated 20

participant maximum.

Despite COVID-19, IGA implemented numerous priority activities during the period including the

strengthening of ETD financial management, notably the strengthening of revenue collection, the training

of local tax collectors and the development of support networks to promote citizen participation in

budgeting and citizen control, and supporting joint ETD/civil society budget committees. With the

expansion of the number of ETD partners from 18 to 40, IGA began implementing start-up activities in

the newly identified ETDs by collaborating with the communities to draft local implementation plans.

Based on the plans, IGA facilitated the formulation of a five-year local development plan and assisted the

newly-selected ETD staff along with other stakeholders to work together preparing local participatory

budgets. Other activities this period included developing a cadre of school government auditors to

conduct audits in partner schools, and subsequently strengthening their financial management and

increasing transparency. USAID IGA also provided assistance to a network of civil society organizations

(CSOs) to enable them to produce a handbook for ETDs on how to plan and account for mining

royalties. Additionally, the project assisted public facilities by introducing community scorecard activities

resulting in recovery plans for the facilities and strengthening their oversight committees (parents’

committees [COPAs] and health development committees [CODESAs]) also resulting in a sense of

ownership by the community for the targeted institutions and their operations. Local CSOs were

strengthened by reinforcing their links with provincial CSOs and improving their capacity to represent

the community. IGA also commenced its grants program by soliciting proposals from partner CSOs.

Another IGA activity completed this year was a political economy analysis (PEA) study of government

relationships in North and South Kivu with particular attention to the health and education sectors. An

initial draft of the PEA is included in Annex B. Technical Materials.

The objectives of the PEA were to:

• Analyze the dynamics and interactions between the national government and new centers of

political power at the provincial level, and how the technical and financial arms of central

government affect the decentralized bodies in the areas of education and health. It aimed to

identify the niches where the interventions and support of USAID IGA are likely to make

these structures more effective, particularly in the education and health sectors.


• Identify national and provincial actors favorable to public policy reform including increased

accountability and transparency in the management of public services.

• Document the ideas and initiatives of IGA project partners to support these positive

changes.

The findings of this study will enable the IGA team to identify potential partners and activities at the

national and/or provincial levels which will complement current project activities.


ACTIVITY IMPLEMENTATION PROGRESS

PROGRESS NARRATIVE

FY20 was a fast-moving year with rapid changes and substantial challenges. The first major change

included the lifting of TIP sanctions in October, followed by the amendment of IGA’s scope of work

expanding activities outside the original target provinces. This was then reflected in revisions to the

most recent annual work plan, including incorporating on-demand technical assistance to support ETDs

currently receiving or expecting mining royalties from commercial mining concessions, located within or

bordering Ebola-affected areas, and other strategic locations identified by the USAID Mission. As a

result, the project also opened an additional provincial office in Butembo, adding ETDs in Haut Uele as

they will be receiving royalties from Barrick Gold. These changes had a major impact on the project’s

plans for implementation as reflected in the revised annual Y4 workplan.

The second major change was the advent of the COVID-19 pandemic, and the subsequent incremental

limitations on travel, whether internationally, nationally, provincially or locally. Major changes to the

management of some of IGA’s workshops were required following the limit of 20 persons at all

meetings mandated by the government. For a while travel between provinces was prohibited resulting in

staff and consultants being unable to travel for periods of time. Although these factors have affected the

rate of implementation of planned activities, the impact has been far less than predicted.

Finally, the project achieved a substantial increase in the number of ETDs supported, increasing from18

to 40. This rapid expansion even in the midst of COVID-19, was able to be completed by the end of

FY20 including all selected ETDs being introduced to the project and having the opportunity to prepare

a plan to identify the technical assistance and training activities needed.

Project activities to note include:

1. The first local development plans and participatory budgets completed in the two selected ETDs

in Haut Uele, Kibali and Logo Ogambi

2. The guide for ETDs on how to plan the use of mining royalties, prepared with USAID IGA

support, was approved by Haut Katanga Ministry of Mines and is now awaiting approval at the

national level.

3. Twenty two newly enrolled ETDs prepared local development plans and participatory budgets,

and elected budgetary and planning oversight committees.

4. Two short term consultancies began during the third quarter: One on the management of the

retrocession system; the other to advise on strategies for economic growth. Unfortunately,

both were cut short due to COVID-19 travel restrictions.

5. The proposed PEA focusing on opportunities in the health and education sectors in North and

South Kivu were also postponed due to COVID-19. However, as the PEA was high priority,

IGA staff and local consultants were able to undertake the field work and complete by the end

of FY20.

6. Applications for grants were advertised, and 45 requests received. A total of 24 completed

applications were received, from which ten were selected. Five grants were approved and active

by the end of the year.

7. Strengthening financial management received much attention during the year across all partners,

including 36 ETDs, 8 CODESAs and 22 COPAs, as well as the associated 22 schools and 8

health centers.


8. A cadre of 44 school auditors, and audits in 22 partner schools, have been effective in

strengthening school financial management and increasing transparency.

9. Participatory budgets for the forthcoming financial year were conducted in ten newly enrolled

ETDs, which also received training and support in financial management.

10. The community score card process was effective in strengthening community oversight of public

facilities. Recovery plans were prepared and/or reviewed for 63 schools and 12 health centers,

together with plans to strengthen the oversight committees (COPA or CODESA). This process

instilled a sense of ownership by the community for the facilities concerned and their

operations.

11. The role ofelected community representatives in the accountability structures (COPAs COGESs

and CODESAs) were strengthened by training in transparency and accountability. Civil society

was also strengthened by reinforcing links between local and provincial CSOs and strengthening

their internal governance and effectiveness in representing the community. 114 CSOs, both local

and provincial, benefitted from this training and a total of 995 people participated in these

workshops.

12. Monitoring and evaluation (M&E) continued including the approval of the revised AMELP, and

GeoPoll’s surveys for the local government, and health and education were completed. USAID

IGA’s activities are increasingly being facilitated largely by DRC officials thereby ensuring

sustainability of its practices. Meanwhile, the score card process continues to generate

community support to improve facilities and performance.

Sustainability continues to be a key priority across all IGA activities. The project has seen success in this

area particularly around the aftermath of score card activities. These activities have stimulated local

initiatives to make improvements to facilities of their own accord, without IGA funding. These range

from minor improvements to facilities such as toilets to bigger projects such as fencing a large site. One

example of these positive results include a Chief Inspector of a school division within Lubumbashi taking

the initiative to organize training in financial management and transparency for the heads and deputies of

the public primary schools in his jurisdiction as a result of IGA’s school audit activities. The three-day

workshop received no funding from USAID IGA.

The project continues to rely on non-project staff, typically employees of sub-provincial agencies, to

take the lead in workshops. They have been particularly successful in the score card workshops and

school audits.

The project also embarked on the next phase of peer learning. ETDs which have been successful shared

their experience with ETDs starting on the same journey. In South Kivu, the Commune of Kadutu took

the lead in helping the two Chefferies of Ngweshe and Kabare energize their community-led planning and

budget committees.

Meanwhile, the government’s policy of free education has had a massive impact enabling large numbers

of previously unschooled pupils to attend school, which in turn has left the schools struggling to cope

with the increased numbers and those teachers previously paid from fees with greatly reduced incomes.


IMPLEMENTATION STATUS OF PLANNED ACTIVITIES IN QUARTER 4

OBJECTIVE 1: STRENGTHEN CAPACITY OF SELECT GOVERNMENT INSTITUTIONS TO

FULLFILL MANDATES

ACTIVITY 2.3: PEA STUDY OF GOVERNMENT RELATIONSHIPS IN NORTH AND SOUTH KIVU

WITH PARTICULAR RELATIONSHIP TO HEALTH AND EDUCATION


• Analyze the dynamics and interactions between the national government and new centers of

political power at the provincial level, and how the technical and financial arms of central

government affect the decentralized bodies in the areas of education and health. It aimed to

identify the niches where USAID IGA interventions and support are likely to make such

structures more effective, particularly in the education and health sectors.

• Identify national and provincial actors favorable to public policy reform including increased

accountability and transparency in the management of public services.

• Document the ideas and initiatives of IGA project partners to support these positive changes.

The design stage of the study began on July 15 with the formulation of the tools, recruitment of

consultants and business planning before proper research (desk and field). Fieldwork was completed

on September 23. This was followed by analysis and writing of the first draft that is expected to be

completed in October.

The PEA team consisted of a principal researcher, a staff member of IGA, a national consultant and

three provincial consultants: one in South Kivu and two in North Kivu (one in Goma and another in

Butembo). This team benefited from the multifaceted support of the provincial IGA project teams in

Bukavu and Butembo.

The methodology included a literature review consisting of an analysis of official documents, scientific

articles, regulatory and legal texts; and qualitative surveys though semi-structured questionnaires

and focus groups. Questionnaires for the semi-structured individual interviews were designed

as data collection tools according to the categories of people interviewed.

These included:

• Senior administrative and technical officers in national ministries (Secrétaires Généraux)

of the Ministry of Public Health and the Ministry of Primary, Secondary and Technical Education,

Inspecteurs Généraux of health and education and directors of technical and specialized

services).

• Provincial Ministers of Finance, Budget, Planning, Health and Education.

• Heads of provincial divisions of health (DPS), education (PROVED), the heads of educational

Sub-Provinces (Sous-PROVED), the medical directors of health zones (MCZ).

• Mayors of the cities visited.

• Senators and Deputies of the National Assembly.

• Managers and staff of major civil society umbrella organizations involved in or aspiring to

conduct civic involvement programs in the field of governance sectors of health, education and

public finance at both the national and provincial level.


The research team started by meeting with national-level institutions and administrations in Kinshasa,

followed by traveling to South and North Kivu, particularly in the cities of Bukavu, Goma and Butembo.

Eight focus groups were held in each of the provinces of South and North Kivu. Four ETDs were

selected, (Kadutu (urban) and Bagira (rural/urban) in South Kivu, and Kimemi (urban) and Bulengera

(rural/urban) in Butembo). In the two thematic areas of health and education, there were two focus

groups for each (users and service providers), thus making a total of four focus groups per ETD. Each

focus group consisted of 12 persons (selected to be heterogeneous and including as many men as

women).

The focus groups followed two interview guides: one for communities, specifically the users of health

and education services; the other for providers of these services. They were developed not only to

cross-check information obtained during individual interviews, but also to collect and analyze their

perceptions, understanding and analysis of the issues and challenges of this process of decentralization.

People were interviewed in their capacity of either providers of public services, especially in the fields of

health and education or as recipients.

CONSTRAINTS AND CHALLENGES

The research mission did not experience any major constraints, except for the time allowed for the

study, due to the urgency, was rather short considering the need to collect, document and analyze

data obtained at both the national and provincial level.

The unavailability of some national deputies and senators in Kinshasa, as well as provincial assembly

deputies, because of parliamentary holidays, created scheduling difficulties. As a result, some interviews

were carried out under strained timing conditions.

ACTIVITY 3.1 STRENGTHENING ETD FINANCIAL MANAGEMENT

STRENGTHENING OWN REVENUE COLLECTION

The review of financial management and the performance of own revenue collection of Manika

Commune, Kolwezi, took place from July 6 – 8 with 13 participants including four women. The objective

was to help ETDs to increase the level of their own income and to adopt the performance evaluation

monitoring mechanism. The participants in the review came from ETD staff and members of the budget

committee. It was led by an independent consultant. Findings can be summarized as follows:

• The overall revenue budget was implemented at a rate of 89% based on a forecast of

3,397,268,444 FC (about $1,788,300), or 3,043,021,803 FC (about $1,601,590).

• The rate of projected own revenue is 86.7% based on a forecast of 2,778,562,738 FC (about

$1,462,400) or 2,408,281,541 FC (about $1,267,520).

• The total amount of mining royalties collected for 2019 amounted to 1 641 402 044 FC. (about

$863,900).

• In 2019, the ETD allocated a total of 1,430,220,247 FC (about $752,750) to capital expenditure.

A similar event was conducted with the Ville of Butembo, from July 8 – 10. Conducted by an

independent consultant, this activity aimed to help Butembo to increase its own revenues; and help

stakeholders to take ownership of the performance M&E mechanism. After collecting and analyzing the


information, a results reporting session took place on July 10 attended by members of the mayor's

budget committee, staff from the finance departments of this ETD, the Mayor and representatives of

civil society. During this feedback session, participants discussed the results presented by the consultant:

• The total revenue forecast for 2,306,441,774 FC (about $1,213,920) was executed at 34%, i.e.

an amount of 792,105,257 FC (about $4416,898).

• The rate of increase of the overall resources of the City Council was 12.39% between 2016 and

2017 thus passing from 609,497,103 FC (about $320,788) respectively to 685,058,423 FC (about

$360,557). From 2017 to 2018 overall revenues increased by 16%. On the other hand, between

2018 and 2019, the town hall's overall revenues decreased by 0.39%, passing from

795,139,320.33 FC (about $418,494) to 792,105,257.94 FC (about $416,900) respectively.

• The amount allocated to investments has declined year over year. From 2016 to 2019, the

investments went from 109,419,944 FC (about $57,560) in 2016 to 64,330,050 FC (about

$33,848) in 2019.

A similar event was held at the Dilala Commune, Kolwezi, from July 9 – 11 with ten participants including

two women. The objective of the performance review was to help the Commune to increase the level of

their own revenues and take ownership of the performance evaluation monitoring mechanism.

Facilitated by an independent consultant, the review enabled participants to identify the problems

hindering the mobilization of own revenue and the performance of the financial management of the

commune during the last four years (2016-2019). Following this analysis, recommendations were

formulated which could contribute to improving the level of the Commune’s own income and financial

performance. Summary tables of data on budget execution were produced. Among the observations

listed during the restitution session which took place on July 11 were:

• On a budget forecast for total revenue in 2019 of 70,720,412,482 FC (about $37,221,270), there

was an achievement of 12,614,927,146 FC (about $6,639,435). The total amount of mining

royalties collected for 2019 was 12,312,852,046 FC (about $57,590). This represented 97.6% of

the total amount of revenue generated.

This was followed by a review of the financial management and the performance of the collection of

own revenues of the Ville of Kolwezi on July 27 - 28. The activity was attended by 16 people from the

Budget Commission of the Town Hall and income-generating services. The objective of the performance

review was to help the city to increase the level of their own income and take ownership of the

performance monitoring mechanism.

Facilitated by an independent consultant, the review enabled participants to identify the problems

hindering the mobilization of own revenue and the performance of the financial management of the city

during the 2019 financial year. Among other difficulties, the transfer to the Communes of the mineral

substances tax which belonged to the City of Kolwezi. Because of this analysis, recommendations were

made to help improve the level of own income and the city's financial performance. Among the findings

listed during the feedback session that took place on July 28 were:

• Kolwezi executed its overall revenue budget in 2019 at 15%, or an amount of 6,812,889,270 FC

(about $3,585,730) on a forecast of overall revenue budget of 46,365,946,843 FC (about

$24,403,130).


• In 2018, the city of Kolwezi achieved its overall revenue budget for a total amount of

10,263,502,237 FC (about $5,401,840). This is a 33.6% drop in revenue between 2018 and 2019

that is explained by the transfer by the State in 2019 of the tax on mineral substances from the

Ville to the Communes.

• Although the budget forecast for mining royalties was 2,800,000,000 FC (about $1,473,680) in

2019, in fact they received 3,812,505,769 FC (about $2,006,580).

• Of the planned own revenues of 34 140 522 002 FC (about $17,968,700) only 6 630 713 750

FC (about $3,489,850) was collected in 2019.

• The city made investments of 547,665,497 FC (about $288,245) while in 2018, investments

were 2,206,204,337 FC (about $1,161,160).

DEVELOPMENT OF SUPPORT NETWORKS

On August 11, a network of actors in the field of local public finance was initiated and implemented by

USAID IGA in South Kivu. Composed of internal expertise within ETDs and civil society, the network

aims not only to share best practices in the area of local public finance but also to ensure effective

support for ETD financial services in their daily financial management. This initiative falls within the

framework of the implementation of the mechanism for the adoption by participating ETDs of the good

practices instituted by IGA. The network is a stand-alone structure that is neither managed nor funded

by USAID'IGA. Its mandate is to:

• Provide the ETDs with expertise in budgeting, financial monitoring, accountability and public

finance management;

• Share knowledge in the field of budgeting and financial management of ETDs;

• Establish a database on ETD public finances;

• Promote citizen participation in budgeting and citizen control;

• Work with ETDs to strengthen accountability, public financial management, management

systems, revenue mobilization, transparency and oversight processes.

The support network in action

The Network is open to any expertise in the field of public finance for ETDs. In South Kivu, it is initially

composed of the following members:

1. Munyabene Nyembo, Deputy Bourgmestre of Kadutu commune;

2. Hippocrate Marume, President of the Kadutu civil society and vice-president of the Kadutu

budget committee;

3. Adalbert Murhi Mubalama; Administrative Secretary Ngweshe Chefferie; and


4. Mashimango Pascal; Accountant of the Kaziba Chefferie.

A network creation report was adopted and signed by the members of the network.

TRAINING OF TAX COLLECTORS

From September 22 - 24, a workshop was held for tax collectors in the Commune of Kadutu in Bukavu,

with 19 participants including six women. It was led by Adalbert Murhi, Head of Works and

Administrative Secretary of Ngweshe and Professor Munyabeni Nyembo, Deputy Bourgmestre of

Kadutu.

The objective was to help maximize the Commune’s own resources to finance the priority investment

projects selected under the Local Development Plan. Modules included the ethics of a collector, the tax

code and duties as well as the techniques of popularization of the tax code, etc. Practical work issues of

tax payment and collection was organized.

OBJECTIVE 2: TARGETED SUB-NATIONAL GOVERNMENT ENTITIES COLLABORATE

WITH CITIZENS FOR MORE EFFECTIVE DEVELOPMENT

ACTIVITY 4.1 SUPPORT JOINT ETD / CIVIL SOCIETY BUDGET COMMITTEES

A workshop to exchange experiences between the partner ETDs in Haut Katanga and Lualaba on

financial management and the budget process was held in Likasi on July 30-31. It was attended by

members of the budgetary committees of the Ville of Kolwezi, the Ville of Likasi and the Commune of

Katuba. Each ETD was represented by six members including ETD staff, civil society, the health zone,

the educational sub-division, and the Federation of Businesses of Congo. A total of 18 people took part

in this workshop.

The aim was to: (i) identify and share good practices arising from the management and transparency of

public finances and (ii) identify bottlenecks that hamper the functioning of budget committees. This

exchange workshop identified the strengths and weaknesses in the functioning of budgetary procedures

in the ETDs concerned.

Strengths:

• Existence of budget committees including civil society and sectoral services in the municipality of

Katuba and Likasi;

• Channeling of revenue to the ETD account in Kolwezi;

• Completion of investments with the mining royalty;

• Improved accounting and financial documents in ETDs;

• Securing accounting documents, publication of budgets and tax code in Kolwezi.

Weaknesses:

• The participatory budgeting process not sufficiently taking into account the needs of the

grassroots population;

• The budget committee in Kolwezi not including civil society and sector services;

• The tax collectors not trained in Katuba as there is no one-stop shop;


• Taxpayers not identified in the ETDs;

• Awareness raising on taxes not carried out in ETDs.

At the end of this exchange workshop, recommendations were made by the participants to overcome

the obstacles and weaknesses identified during this workshop. This will feed into the support plan for

these ETDs. The desire was expressed to organize a future meeting on the evaluation of the

implementation of the various recommendations. The participants suggested that IGA organize

workshops for ETD leaders (mayors, mayors and heads of sectors or chiefdoms) on the budget process.

ACTIVITY 4.4 ASSIST NEWLY SELECTED ETDS TO PREPARE LOCAL DEVELOPMENT PLANS (LDP)

A workshop to prepare a local development plan for the Commune of Bagira, Bukavu, was held from

June 24 – 29. Participants included the staff of ETD, groups, sectoral services (health, education and

agriculture), civil society and the Federation of Enterprises in the Congo.

The results were:

• A five-year local development plan (2020-2024) with projected expenditure of $5,700,000 was

approved and signed by the stakeholders;

• A 2020 Annual Investment Plan (PIA) for a total cost of $25,000 was adopted;

• Financing strategies and a M&E mechanism for the LDP were put in place.

The Local Development Committee, that has existed since the

end of 2019, will be restructured during a meeting to be held on

July 4. This restructured committee will include 15 new members

in addition to the ten members that made up the committee.

A similar workshop was held to prepare a LDP for the Chefferie

of Kaziba, South Kivu Province from July 1 – 6, with 17

participants, including two women, selected from ETD staff,

groups from sectoral services (health, education and agriculture),

civil society and the Congo Business Federation.

Facilitated by a consultant, the workshop aimed to improve the

capacity of Kaziba in the identification and prioritization of needs

as well as to strengthen their capacities in planning and

developing a local development plan.

The following results were obtained:

• A five-year local development plan (2021-2025) with a total

expenditure of $9,648,000 was developed and approved by the stakeholders;

• A 2020 Annual Investment Plan (PIA) for a total cost of $565,000 was approved;

• Financing strategies and a M&E mechanism for the LDP were put in place;

• The Local Development Committee, that has existed since the end of 2011, will be restructured

by integrating other actors.

The challenge of synthesizing ideas


The same process was followed at the Chefferie of Luhwindja, South Kivu from July 7-11. There were 20

participants, including three women, from ETD staff, the FEC, civil society, religious denominations and

the health and education sectors. The following results were obtained:

• A five-year local development plan (2021-2025) at a total cost of $4,281,300 was approved by

the stakeholders;

• Funding strategies and a M&E mechanism for the LDP were adopted;

• A Local Development Committee was established consisting of 25 people from local authorities,

CSOs and the technical services of the entity. A report on the establishment of this committee

will be signed by the Mwami Chief Luhwindja.

With regard to the annual investment plan, the stakeholders found, after analysis, that it was difficult to

draw up the 2021 plan at the moment, because the financial parameters are not under control and it will

be necessary to wait for the end of the year for more realism.

With the same objectives a workshop was held at the Burhinyi Chefferie, Mwenga Territory, South Kivu,

from July 15 – 19, with 19 participants including two women selected from staff of the ETD, FEC, civil

society, religious denominations and the health and education sectors.

The results obtained were:

• A five-year local development plan (2021-2025) with a total expenditure of $5,880,000 was

produced and approved by the stakeholders;

• The 2021 Annual Investment Program comprising of nine projects for an estimated cost of

$140,000 was adopted.

Planting taking place in the Chefferie of Burhinyi


The Chefferie has had a development committee since 2007 consisting of 11 elected and five appointed

persons. It was agreed that this committee would be re-elected no later than September 15.

A workshop to develop a LDP was held at the Chefferie of Luindi, South Kivu from July 21 – 25 with 20

participants including one woman selected from ETD staff, FEC, civil society, religious denominations

and the representatives of the health and education sectors.

During this workshop, the following themes were discussed, namely: (i) capacity building of participants

to develop a development plan; and (ii) the process of drawing up the municipal development plan. The

following results were obtained:

• A five-year local development plan (2021-2025) with a total expenditure of $4,826,000 was

drawn up and approved by the stakeholders;

• The 2021 Annual Investment Plan at a cost of $825,500 was approved.

The Chefferie has had a development committee since 2010, which has been restructured from time to

time, consisting of ten members. However, the committee does not include certain key technical

services and has no group leader. It was agreed that this committee be restructured by August 3 at the

latest, by integrating the missing actors. This restructuring was to be preceded by a meeting of the

current members.

Based on a socio-economic study carried out in 2016 and an in-depth diagnosis in the Chefferie of

Buhavu, South Kivu, a 2019-2023 development plan was prepared with the support of partners, KFW

and VNG International. This plan was developed with a participatory approach that involved all layers of

the population of the Chiefdom with the establishment of a local development committee. During the

summary diagnosis carried out by the IGA project at the time of the performance review and financial

data collection, the need to support the CLD in its mission was identified in order to make it more

efficient.

The Local Development Committee held a workshop from July 28 to August 1 to provide the members

with the necessary capacity to make it operational and effective. Twenty participants took part in this

workshop including one woman.

After discussion and analysis of the 2020 Investment Plan, it become clear that as of January 2020,

$7,312 had been invested by the ETD from its own funds to finance projects out of a total planned

amount of $37,128. The following results were obtained:

• The CLD of Bukavu, composed of 21 members, extended to leaders of the groupements, was

registered. Its official implementation was scheduled for August 20.

• The management of the LDP will be ensured by the Mwami’s Chief of Staff, with the

involvement of the Local Development Committee and the planning unit of the entity;

• A draft investment plan in the amount of $554,966 was prepared for 2021. However, it was

decided that its approval will take place only after taking into account the needs arising from the

participatory budget process.


ACTIVITY 4.5 ASSIST NEWLY SELECTED ETDS TO PREPARE PARTICIPATORY BUDGETS

SOUTH KIVU

A workshop on participatory budgeting and financial management was held at Kaziba Chefferie from July

7 – 10, with fifteen participants including six ETD staff; two civil society representatives; two Federation

of Congo Enterprises (EC); two religious denominations and representatives of the health, education

and agriculture sectors. The aim was to improve the participatory budgeting process and build the

capacity of financial services in financial management and develop internal expertise in the areas of

drawing up a participatory budget and budget monitoring.

Modules were taught on the participatory budgeting process and land management in ETDs. At the end

of this workshop, participants were skilled at the methods and tools of participatory budgeting, the

circuits of receipts and expenses and the management tools and the techniques of increasing the amount

of the receipts of the chiefdom.

A workshop on participatory budgeting and financial management was held in the Chefferie of Luhwindja

from July 14 – 17. There were twenty participants selected from ETD staff, civil society, the FEC,

representatives of religious denominations and the sectors (health, education and agriculture). The

curriculum included the methods and tools of participatory budgeting, the receipt and expenses

accounting system and techniques to increase receipts. Management tools included the cash book, bank

book, inventory file, project expense tracking sheet, and revenue distribution sheet. At the end of the

meeting, a budget committee was set up consisting of 20 people, including representatives of civil

society. The roles of this committee will be to: (i) Organize and lead the participatory budget process;

(ii) Monitor the execution of the budget of the chiefdom and in particular the investment projects; (iii)

Sensitize the population on tax culture.

A workshop on participatory budgeting and financial management in the Burhinyi Chefferie took place

from July 21 to 24. There were fifteen participants including one woman drawn from ETD staff;

coordination of civil society; the FEC; religious denominations and sectors (health, education and

agriculture).

As a result of this training, the methods and tools of participatory budgeting, appreciation of revenue

and expenditure accounting, and the management tools and techniques for improving revenue were

mastered by the participants. The management tools included the cash book, the bank book, the

inventory file, the project expenditure tracking sheet, the revenue distribution sheet, etc.

An enlarged budget committee made up of 15 people, the majority of whom are representatives of the

population, was established. This committee is to have the following roles: (i) Organize and lead the

participatory budget process; (ii) Monitor the execution of the chiefdom's budget and in particular

investment projects; (iii) Conduct an awareness building process targeting the population on tax culture.

A workshop on participatory budgeting and financial management was held from July 28 – 31 in the

Chefferie of Luindi. Fifteen participants took part in this workshop including a woman selected from ETD

staff, civil society, of the FEC, religious denominations and sectors (health, education and agriculture).

The objective was to improve the participatory budgeting process and build the capacity of financial


services in financial management. This specifically involves developing internal expertise in the areas of

participatory budget preparation and budget monitoring.

The participants learned the methods and tools of participatory budgeting, the revenue and expenditure

accounts system, and the management tools and techniques for improving revenue were mastered by

the participants. Regarding management tools, these include the cash book, bank book, inventory file,

project expenditure tracking sheet and income distribution sheet. The Chefferie of Luindi did not have a

budget committee with citizen involvement, but a budget committee was established consisting of 15

people, the majority of whom were representatives of the population. The Chefferie promised to sign a

decision for the establishment of the said committee. This committee will have the following roles: (i)

Organize and lead the participatory budget process; (ii) Monitor the execution of the chiefdom's budget

and in particular investment projects; and (iii) Sensitize the population on tax culture. This support is the

first of its kind in Luindi.

A similar workshop was conducted in the Chefferie of Buhavu from August 4 - 7 with 15 participants

selected from ETD staff, civil society, of the FEC, religious denominations and sectors (health, education

and agriculture). The aim was to improve the participatory budgeting process and build the capacity of

financial services in financial management and developing internal expertise in the areas of participatory

budget preparation and budget monitoring.

As in the workshops described above this workshop discussed participatory budgeting methods and

tools, revenue and expenditure accounting and management tools and revenue improvement techniques.

For the preparation of the 2020 budget, Buhavu followed the scheme of participatory budgeting,

however several areas for improvement were still noticeable.

It should be noted that a budget committee composed of nine people and not sufficiently extended to

citizens had been set up within the ETD with the support of VNG, a Dutch partner organization.

However, this committee is currently not operational. At the end of the meeting, the players resolved

to restructure and extend the budget committee to citizens and representatives of the various sectors

(health, education and agriculture). This committee, which should be made up of 15 members, will have

the following mandate: (i) Organize and lead the participatory budget process; (ii) Monitor the execution

of the chiefdom's budget and in particular investment projects; (iii) Raise public awareness of the tax

culture.

A similar workshop was held at Lufira Secteur from September 17 – 21, with 20 participants including

four women selected from ETD staff, from civil society, the FEC, religious denominations and sectors

(health, education and agriculture).

This workshop was the first of its kind carried out in the Lufira Secteur. As a result of this training, a

budget committee was established, consisting of 15 people including members of civil society, ETD staff,

sector representatives, FEC representatives, and representatives of religious denominations. The Lufira

Secteur will rely on the new budget committee to lead the participatory budget process but above all to

carry out taxpayer awareness activities in the payment of taxes.


NORTH KIVU

A workshop on participatory budgeting and financial management in Kimemi Commune in Butembo, took

place from September 15 - 18. There were fifteen participants, including two women, from ETD staff,

civil society, the FEC, religious denominations and the sectors of health, education and agriculture. The

objective was to improve the participatory budgeting process and strengthen the capacities of financial

services in financial management. This specifically involves developing internal expertise in the areas of

participatory budget preparation and budget monitoring.

The training included the same modules as the workshops listed above.

This Commune received training on participatory budgeting in December 2017 by the World Bank

project, PROFIT Congo, that set up Quartier Local Peace and Development Committees and the Human

Rights Committees. The members of these structures proposed the priority needs of the

population. Capitalizing on these good practices, the training on participatory budgeting supported by

IGA facilitated the establishment of the budget committee made up of 20 people, the majority of whom

are community representatives. This committee has a mandate to organize and lead the participatory

budget process, monitor the execution of the municipality's budget, and raise public awareness about

taxation.

A similar workshop was held in the Commune of Bulengera, Butembo from September 21 - 24 with 13

participants, including two women, representatives of the services of the Bulengera commune, the

Butembo1 educational sub-division, the Katwa health zone, the communal civil society as well as the

Catholic and Adventist churches. The local FEC was not represented. The activity was facilitated by the

consultant Daty Tembo with the support of the local public finance specialist from IGA Butembo. The

training covered the same ground as the workshops described above.

Bulengera had also received support from PROFIT Congo. Capitalizing on this, USAID IGA facilitated

the establishment of a budget committee made up of representatives of the population. This committee

will have the following mandate: (i) Organize and lead the participatory budget process; (ii) Monitor the

execution of the municipality's budget; (iii); Raise public awareness of tax culture.

ACTIVITY 6.2 HEALTH ZONE TRAINING IN HEALTH CARE MANAGEMENT

A workshop to develop the capacity of health zone (HZ) management teams was held in Kananga from

September 21 – 25 with 24 participants including two women composed of chief doctors, nurse

supervisors, administrator managers and community workers from six health zones, namely Kananga,

Tshikaji, Ndesha, Katoka, Lukonga and Bobozo. The main objective of this workshop was to contribute

to the capacity building of the Management Team of IGA HZ partners, with particular emphasis on the

characteristics of good governance and on the effective support of the health center teams for which

they are responsible. Specifically, it was about: (i) Strengthening the capacity in primary health care by

emphasizing governance and accountability of the managers of the HZ; (ii) Rationalizing and effective

communication as a prerequisite and ingredient for any effective coordination of stakeholders; and(iii)

Improving the coordination of stakeholders.

Led by the independent consultant, Mr. Toss Mukwa, the workshop allowed the development of

different management and coaching concepts, with the different processes. At the end of this workshop,

the participants understood that the choice of the type of management depends on the efficiency and


performance of the organization. The workshop ended with exercises on coaching and one of the field

trips to health centers to experiment with this coaching technique.

ACTIVITY 6.3 STRENGTHEN THE SYSTEM FOR SCHOOL INSPECTIONS AND AUDITS

An experience exchange workshop on the school audit process in Lualaba province was held in Kolwezi

on July 27 - 28, with18 participants including eight women from the Provincial Main Inspectorate Lualaba

1, the Provincial Education Division Lualaba 1, the Educational Sub-Division Kolwezi 2, ANAPECO

Lualaba and civil society.

This exchange meeting was an opportunity to share best practices from the audit process implemented

in public schools. These experiences (methodology and tools) were presented by the Inspectors who

carried out these audits in schools. As for the heads of establishments, they had to share their

experiences and learned lessons about the audit process. Some observations were made on the impact

of the audit process on financial management in schools, mainly (i) The preparation and establishment of

budget forecasts taking into account the sources of revenue and expenditure items and respecting the

order of importance and the period of preparation of said forecasts; and (ii) Inventory management.

As a result of the analysis work on the tool and the methodology of the process, the education

stakeholders in Lualaba province adopted the methodology on the school audit process, and the school

audit tool subject to amendments. The stakeholders also made recommendations, in particular: (i)

Provide inspectors with the new audit tool after its approval; (ii) Train all managers in the education

sector in school auditing.

An exchange workshop on the school audit process was conducted on August 6 - 7 in Kabare, South

Kivu with the objective of sharing good practices from the audit process in IGA partner public schools

thereby improving the audit process carried out in public primary schools. There were 26 participants,

including five women. It was facilitated by the Deputy Principal Inspector in charge of training and

attended by Her Excellency the Minister of EPST South Kivu, Mrs. Géneviève Mizumbi Namutondo who

officially opened and closed the workshop.

The participants included COGES members of ETDs Kadutu, Kabare and Ngweshe, primary managers

and Inspools at the local level as well as line managers of the education sector in the provinces including

the Provincial Director, the Provincial Principal Inspector as well as the Minister of the EPST. Also

present was the provincial representative of ANAPECO. Recommendations were made to be followed

up by the stakeholders concerned.

ACTIVITY 7.3 SUPPORT THE REVITALIZATION AND SUPPORT OF CARGS

On August 26, a feedback session took place between the IGA Provincial Office of South Kivu and the

SVC-TETRATECH Office on the results of the capacity building workshops of cooperatives and CARG

member structures on financial management, accounting and administrative in the Chefferies of Kabare

and Ngweshe which took place respectively in Katana from August 13 - 15 and in Walungu from August

17- 19. The meeting was held in the premises of the SVC-TETRATECH project. Present at this meeting

were Emile Maheshe/Community Mobilizer from the IGA and Célestin Birindwa, consultant, who

facilitated the training, and the Trade and Regulatory Specialist, Cooperative Capacity Building Officer

and Finance Specialist from SVC-TETRATECH. The meeting resolved to:


• Increase the number of meetings between the two projects to adopt a common approach in the

field in order to ensure complementarity and synergy in various interventions.

• Co-organize activities falling within the framework of the promotion of the public-private

partnerships (PPPs) within the member cooperatives of the CARGs in October-November

2020.

ACTIVITY 8.1 ACTION PLANNING AND BUDGET TRAINING FOR COPAS AND COGESS

Sessions to adopt the budget forecasts of two primary schools in the Commune of Dibindi, Mbuji Mayi,

took place on August 3 and August 4 respectively, at the Juin 30 school. 13 individuals participated

including one woman, and at Luabanya school with the participation of 13 participants ncluding two

women.

The participants included school directors, teacher representatives, COPA members, education CSOs

from each of the ETD, sub-division, leaders from the area around the school in question, the IPPAF and

the Traveling Inspectors who conducted the school audit. These sessions were the culmination of a long

process that started with the school audit and the training in financial and accounting management of a

quality school. The objective of the activity was to provide the schools with a 2020-2021 budget

developed and validated in a participatory manner.

A participatory methodology was applied and based on the active involvement of school stakeholders as

well as civil society in the validation of the draft budget. Each school official presented their budget

proposal respecting the budget outline validated during training on budgeting and financial management

as well as auditing standards. The activity was facilitated by IPPAF and the Itinerant Inspector who

carried out the training on budgeting and financial management and school audit.

At the end of the sessions, in order to show their support for the process, the communities took the

initiative and the commitment to sensitize the community to support these budget forecasts with both

material and financial means.

A similar process was followed with the ETDs of Kabala, Bipemba and Bakwa Kalonji, Kasai Oriental, on

August 5 and 6 respectively; August 7 and 8; and August 10 and 11. The schools concerned were:

• Kabala Secteur: Tshishimbi and Mukeba primary schools;

• Bipemba Commune: Tuendele and Mutombo Kaci primary schools;

• Bakwa Kalonji Chefferie: Kangu and Nkuadi primary Schools.

After the completion of school audits and training on budgeting in financial management, the authorities

of the IGA partner schools proceeded to prepare the 2020-2021 draft budget in accordance with the

budget preparation schedule. The objective of the activity was to provide the schools with a 2020-2021

budget developed and validated in a participatory manner.

A total of 78 people including 19 women took part in these workshops in these three ETDs, with 13

members per school and per session. These workshops were attended by school principals, teachers'

representatives, COPA members, members of IGA partner CSOs from each ETD, ETD delegates, sub-

divisions, pools and community leaders of the area around the school in question, the IPPAF and the

Itinerant Inspectors who carried out the audit at the school.


These sessions were the culmination of a long process that started with the preliminary audit, the audit

itself and the training in financial management and accounting of a quality school. The methodology used

was participatory. It was based on the active involvement of school stakeholders as well as civil society

in the validation of the draft budget. Each school official presented his/her budget proposal respecting

the budget outline validated during the training on budgeting and financial management as well as audit

standards. The activity was facilitated by IPPAF and the Itinerant Inspector who carried out the training

on budgeting and financial management and school audit

After presentations and discussions in plenary and harmonization of forecasts, the budget forecasts were

approved by the stakeholders. Participants made a commitment to sensitize the community to support

these budget forecasts with both material and financial means.

Workshops to exchange experiences between Kasai Central and Kasai Oriental on good practices for

school financial management took place from September 14 - 16 in Kananga. Schools concerned were

Tshisumbu and Kelekele (ETD Katoka), 2 Lumumba and 2 Lukonga (ETD Lukonga), Mufunduku and

Ndesha Lusambo (ETD Ndesha). The participants included traveling inspectors, the Kananga 2 Primary

Inspool and the Central Kasai IPPAF.

These exchanges were facilitated by Mr. Lambert Tshisuaka, IPPAF and Mr. James Muambuluishi, Inspool

of the Lupatapata sub-division. The objective was to learn from the experiences of Kasai Oriental so as

to improve the quality of services in the schools of the Kasai Central. Techniques discussed included

setting up internal financial controls; protecting assets; the separation of powers between authorizing

officers, the accountant and the cashier; providing reliable financial information through the production

of financial reports; and helping those responsible for the management of the school system to master

the functioning of the accounts within a school. This workshop brought together 46 people, including 17

women.

The second phase of the exchange of experience between stakeholders from the provinces of Kasai

Central and Kasai Oriental on good practices in the field of financial management of schools took place

from September 17 - 19, in Kananga. The 32 participants included representatives from the schools

themselves, and included 14 women, traveling inspectors and partner CSOs. The schools concerned

were Tutungunuke and Mudikolele in Kananga, and 1 Nganza and Nkombua in Nganza.

These exchanges were facilitated by Mr. Lambert Tshisuaka, IPPAF and Mr. James Muambuluishi, Inspool

(head of the traveling inspectorate) of the Lupatapata sub-division of the province of Kasai Oriental. The


objective was to contribute, based on practical experiences from training in Kasai Oriental schools, to

improve services in Kasai Central schools by:

• Establishing an accounting mechanism for internal control, protection of heritage of schools and

separation of powers between authorizing officers, accountant and cashier;

• Providing reliable financial information through the production of financial reports;

• Helping those responsible for the management of the school system to master the functioning of

the financial circuit within a school.

These exchanges allowed participants to better understand the preparation and establishment of budget

forecasts, the keeping of accounting documents and the management of stocks and assets, the

mobilization of additional revenue in the context of free primary education and raising the level of

internal control within the targeted schools.

A workshop was held on September 16 and 18 to discuss and approve the 2020-2021 budgets of

Kamanyola and I Manika primary schools respectively in Kolwezi in order to bring the stakeholders

around these schools to mobilize local funding to support them.

At the end of the two-day activity, one day per school, the participants worked in groups and proposed

an upward modification before approving the budget for each school. Initially planned at 1,056,000 FC

(about $541) and 1,355,550 FC (about $695) respectively for EP Kamanyola and EP 1 Manika, the

budgets adopted were 1,365,250 FC (about $700) for the EP Kamanyola and 1 985 550 FC (about

$1018) for the EP 1 Manika. The actors around the two schools have committed to mobilize, during the

2020-2021 school year, their contribution included $159 for the EP Kamanyola and $464 for the EP 1

Manika. It should be remembered that the EP I Manika benefits from a share of the revenue from the

water well drilled within the Manika Complex.

The workshops were facilitated by the itinerant Inspector of Kolwezi East Pool, Ms. Isal Yav Petronille,

the budget project validation workshops for the two schools were attended by 32 people including ten

women from ETDs and from the Kolwezi 2 Education sub-division. Heads of establishments from the

two partner schools, representatives of teachers, COPAs and ANAPECO.

ACTIVITY 8.2 TRAINING COURSE FOR CODESAS ON FINANCIAL AND STOCK MANAGEMENT

A workshop was held with the CODESA and Bukama and Niche Health Centers in the Commune of

Katuba, from June 25 – 27. There were 17 participants including eight women selected from the DPS,

the Health Zone, the Health Centers and the respective CODESA and USAID IGA’s health civil society

partner. A representative of IHP Mega also attended. The main objective was to contribute to improving

transparency and accountability in the management of the resources generated by the Health Centers

and the funds allocated by donors to the Health Centers. During this workshop, topics were discussed,

including the preparation of budget forecasts, the production of financial reports, as well as financial

management tools and those for managing drug stocks. The workshop covered: (i) the techniques for

developing, executing and monitoring a budget; (ii) management of supporting documents, transaction

accounting and cash accounting; (iii) and medication inventory management tools.

A financial management and inventory management training workshop was held for members of

CODESA and Simba and Kupuluka Health Centers in Likasi from July 2 - 4. Sixteen people took part in


this activity, including nine women from the BCZS, CS, CODESA and partner CSOs. The workshop

covered:

• Techniques for developing, implementing and monitoring the budget

• Management of supporting documents, transaction accounting and cash accounting

• Medication inventory management tools.

A budget model for a health center was shared and approved by the stakeholders.

A workshop on financial and stock management and stocks of CODESA and Health Centers partners of

the IGA project took place from July 29 - 31 in Kolwezi, conducted by Dr. Stéphane Tshimanga, expert

from the DPS of Haut Katanga. The main objective of this workshop was to contribute to the

improvement of management, transparency and traceability in the management of resources generated

by health centers and funds allocated by donors to health centers. It is also a question of establishing an

accounting mechanism for internal control and protection of the assets of health centers and the

separation of powers between authorizing officers, the accountant and the cashier.

Seventeen people participated in this workshop, including seven women, from the Central Office of the

Health Zone of Manika, CSOs, CODESA and Health Centers of Kasulo and Manika Market. During the

training, emphasis was placed on the importance and role of CODESA members in inventory

management. The workshop covered budget preparation, execution and monitoring techniques, the

management of supporting documents, the accounting of operations, cash accounting, and inventory

management. This will help improve transparency and accountability in the management of resources

generated by them, funds allocated by donors, and stocks acquired with own funds or donations from

partners.

A workshop was conducted with the Maendeleo and Nyamugo health centers, Kadutu, Bukavu, from

August 10 – 12 on financial and stock management. There were 16 participants including six women

from partner health centers and their CODESAs, financial and stock managers of these health structures

as well as teams from the Health Zone and from the CSO partner to IGA in the health sector, the

Initiative des Femmes pour la Redynamisation des Atouts du Développement Endogène (IFRADE). The

workshop was facilitated by Mr. Ephrem Birindwa, Human Resources Officer at the Provincial Health

Inspectorate of South Kivu.

The workshop covered the financial management of health centers and CODESAs, the process of

developing and monitoring the budget of the health center, collection procedures and disbursement,

keeping accounting documents, preparing the cash flow report as well as monitoring the bank's cash

flow through reconciliation.

Topics related to budgeting, auditing, bookkeeping, control, financial procedure and procurement

aroused the interest and attention of the participants. They have made a commitment to prepare the

2021 budget forecast and have requested regular support from the IGA team. At the end of this training,

the following recommendations were made:

• Consider training for other structures in the municipality of Kadutu so that all structures have

the same skills;


• Follow up at the level of health centers and CODESA to ensure the implementation of the

learning outcomes;

• Support the health centers and CODESA in the preparation of budget forecasts for the quarters

of next year.

A workshop on financial and stock management took place from August 21 - 24 in Kabare, South Kivu

for the partner health centers of Bugobe and Ludaha. There were 16 participants including 7 women

from the health centers and their CODESAs, including financial and stock managers and teams from the

Kabare health zone and from USAID IGA’s partner health CSO the Association pour le Développement de

Cirunga (ASSODECI). The workshop was facilitated by Mr. Ephrem Birindwa, Human Resources Officer

at the Provincial Health Inspectorate of South Kivu.

The main objective of this training was to contribute to the improvement of financial management in

health centers and CODESA with a view towards good Governance and good Universal Health

Coverage. The Basic Concepts in Financial Management (management, finance, accounting, balance

sheet, control, audit and budget) were presented during this training. It was found that the two

structures (CODESA and CS) have neither a management procedure manual, nor a budget.

During the training, the following themes were developed: financial and stock management of health

centers and CODESA; the process of developing and monitoring the budget of a health center; the

notion of accountability and keeping of accounting documents. In order to share experiences, the

participants were given various crossroads exercises, the results of which were presented in plenary for

discussion and enrichment. The notion of segregation of duties in management, budgeting and

monitoring, procedures, keeping accounting records, archiving, accountability, control, drew the

attention of the participants. Recommendations were made to:

• Extend training to other health structures in the health zone;

• Make the close follow-up in the structures and CODESA to be reassured of the respect of

principle of management and the reliability of the foundations;

• Support the Health Centers and CODESA in the preparation of their first budget;

• Return to the base and put into practice the lessons received.

Workshops on the participatory approval of budget forecasts were held in the Bon Berger and Christ le

Roi health centers, in the Commune of Bipemba, Mbuji Mayi, on September 14 and 16 respectively. These

workshops were designed to improve financial management, and improve transparency and

accountability in the management of resources generated by health centers as well as funds allocated by

donors.

They were facilitated by the consultant, Alidor Biaya, Head of the Financial Management and Accounts

Department of the Kasai Oriental Provincial Health Division. They built on budget training workshops

held from July 30 to August 6 in partner ETDs in Kasai Oriental and the training of CODESA and

partner health centers on financial management and stocks in the province of Kasai Oriental. Drafts

budget forecasts for each health center were prepared and approved by the participants. The budget of

CS Bon Berger is $13,647, while that of CS Christ Roi is $19,744. 22 people including four women at CS

Bon Berger and five women at CS Christ Roi took part in these workshops. Participants included the

CODESAs, health center staff involved in budgeting, a representative of ETD, a representative of USAID


IGA’s partner health CSO, representatives of community leaders and a representative of the health

center management team from the Bipemba Health Zone.

From September 17 to 22 in the Bakwa Kalonji Chefferie and in the Kabala Secteur, workshops were held

to approve the budget forecasts of four health centers that are partners of the IGA program. The health

centers concerned were:

• Bakwa Kalonji: Lukalaba West and Kalonji South health centers;

• Kabala: Mukeba and Tshishimbi health centers.

A total of 43 people took part in these workshops in the two ETDs. These included members of the

CODESAs, providers of health centers involved in budgeting, representatives of ETDs, representatives

of health partner CSOs from each ETD, representatives of community leaders and representatives of

executive teams of the ETD health zone.

The workshops were facilitated by a consultant, Alidor Biaya, Head of the Financial Management and

Accountant Service of the Kasai Oriental Provincial Health Division.

As a result of the workshops the health centers have 2021 budgets drawn up and approved in a

participatory manner. This is the outcome of a long process of effective improvement in the financial

management of the centers.

OBJECTIVE 3: CITIZENS DEMAND FOR ACCOUNTABLE, TRANSPARENT AND

PARTICIPATORY GOVERNMENT SERVICES INCREASED

ACTIVITY 9.1 STRENGTHENING THE LINKS BETWEEN COMMUNITIES AND SOCIAL

ACCOUNTABILITY STRUCTURES

MECHANISMS FOR CHANGE

A workshop to support the stakeholders of the ETD working in the sectors of education, health and

economic growth was held in the Commune of Dibindi, Mubji Mayi, on July 6 – 8 attended by 54 people

including 18 women. The workshop aimed to help the stakeholders to develop an improved mechanism

of change. The participants were divided into three groups of 18 people per session. Three stages of the

workshop helped to develop the mechanism of change within the Commune of Dibindi, namely:

1. Success story presentations;

2. Generation of the change mechanism;

3. Consolidation of the change mechanism.

The workshop shared the history of success recorded at the Sankay health center resulting in the

provision of benches and plastic chairs for the waiting room of the health center to help improve

reception of patients.

An improved eight-step change mechanism was agreed upon by all stakeholders. This change mechanism

will be presented to the ETD leaders for popularization and awareness-raising, in order to give impetus

to the other actors under their jurisdiction to operationalize and bring about improvements in the

provision of public services within the commune of Dibindi.


1. Capacity building for situational awareness / information, training, and consultation meetings

to identity solutions to challenges;

2. Participatory identification, analysis and prioritization of problems to be resolved;

3. Planning of actions to be carried out;

4. Sharing of information/data in collaboration with all stakeholders (community, ETD,

community leaders, CSOs, media, etc.);

5. Mobilization of the necessary resources (local and external): awareness-raising, advocacy,

etc.;

6. Accountability;

7. Implementation of actions: readjustment of planning and execution of action;

8. Monitoring and evaluation and sustainability.

IMPLEMENTATION OF RECOVERY PLANS DEVELOPED IN THE SCORE CARD WORKSHOPS

Haut Katanga

From July 6 – 7 a workshop was conducted in Likasi with the CODESAs for the Kupuluka and Simba

health centers and the COPA of the Maendeleo 1 and Mapinduzi 4 primary schools to assess progress in

implementation of recovery plans and the methods used. Twenty participants took part in this

workshop, including three women.

The workshop noted gains in the implementation of the various recovery and support plans for the two

schools and two targeted health centers. Evaluating the methodology of the community diagnosis, the

participants identified strengths and weaknesses. The strengths were that the methodology:

• Guarantees transparency in the identification of school or health center problems;

• Creates confidence and reliability on the results obtained;

• Involves the community in the development of the school and the health center;

• Facilitates interaction between different stakeholders (local authorities, service providers, CSOs

and the community).

The main weakness was getting stakeholders to take the actions contained in the plans.

Kasai Oriental

A similar workshop was held in the Commune of Bipemba, Mbuji Mayi from July 13 – 14 with the

CODESAs and COPAs of the CS Bon Berger and CS Christ Roi health centers and the Tuendele and

Mutombo Kaci primary schools. There were twenty participants including four women. The objective

was to assess progress in implementation of recovery plans and support plans from this exercise but

also to assess the methods and approaches related to this process. Based on the scores obtained in

previous assessments, it was found that both health and school structures had made efforts to

implement their recovery plans and support plans. However, the Christ Roi health center, a

denominational health center for the sisters of charity, still faces a major challenge. The sisters involved

in the management of this institution seem to continually struggle for a good participative management

of this center. A dialogue has been established between the new CODESA committee, the center's

technical team, community leaders, the ADID interface CSO, the BCZS and the leaders of the

congregation to harmonize points of view and resolve differences. The results are promising.


With regard to the analysis and evaluation of the method and approach to community diagnosis by the

participants, it was found that there is satisfaction on the part of the stakeholders with regard to the

relevance but also its effectiveness in identifying and finding a solution and prioritization of actions.

A workshop was held in Kabala Secteur on July 15 - 16 to assess progress in the implementation of

recovery plans and support plans resulting from the score car workshops and to evaluate the method

and approaches related to this process. Participants were selected from the CODESAs of Mukeba and

Tshishimbi health centers and COPAs of Mukeba and Tshishimbi primary schools. A similar workshop

was held in the Commune of Dibindi, Mbuji Mayi on July 17 – 20 with the CODESAs of Sankay and

Chretien/CHPM and the COPAs of Luabanya and EP of June 30. A total of forty people took part in the

workshops, including ten women.

In Kabala as in Dibindi, after analysis, it emerged that certain problems had been previously poorly

formulated and certain actions were not actually required. The participants reformulated these actions

and problems for better achievement of results. This then allowed participants from each structure to

update their recovery plans and COPA and CODESA support plans. Regarding the analysis and

evaluation of the method and approach of community diagnosis by the participants, it was found that the

actors were satisfied with the process and its effectiveness in the identification of issues, the search for

solutions and the prioritization of actions. From the methodology analysis, the strengths and weaknesses

indicated below emerged:

Strengths

• Allows for the improvement of the quality of care and education;

• Facilitates the building of confidence between the structures (centers and schools) and the

community;

• Facilitates collaboration and sharing of ideas between providers and the community;

• Ensures the participation of all stakeholders and citizen control favored;

• Builds capacities in the area of management and transparency.

Weaknesses

• The main weakness lies in the time devoted to the process, which appears lengthy to

stakeholders.

ADOPTION OF INTERVENTION PLANS AND MAPPING OF STAKEHOLDERS

Haut Katanga

A workshop was held on July 22 to approve the USAID IGA intervention plan and mapping of

stakeholders in the Lufira Secteur, Haut Katanga. There were 18 participants including four women

including the Head of the Secteur, the Sous-Proved, the Supervisor of the Lufira Health Zone, members

of the local development committee, members of civil society, members of COPA and CODESA as well

as a member of the local community radio station. The objective of the meeting was to involve local

actors in the process of implementing the intervention plan for better ownership in the implementation

of the defined activities. The intervention plan was agreed upon and was co-signed by the Head of the

Secteur, sectoral representatives of health and education, civil society and social responsibility structures

(CODESAs and COPAs).


A meeting to adopt an intervention plan and launch stakeholder mapping took place on July 24 in the

Chefferie of Basanga, Haut Katanga. There were 15 participants including two women including the

Administrative Secretary, the Sous-Proved de Kambove, the Chief Doctor of the Kambove Health Zone,

members of the local development committee, members of civil society, members of COPA and

CODESA as well as a representative of the local community radio station KAUKA. The objective was to

involve the stakeholders in the adoption of the intervention plan, that was formally signed, and to launch

the mapping of the environment.

Similar meetings took place on July 30 and August 3, respectively, in the Commune of Kampemba and the

Secteur of Bukanda. A total of 34 people took part in these various meetings, including five women.

Among these participants were:

• Kampemba: The Head of the Decentralization Department, the representative of the Sous-

Proved of Lubumbashi 3, the Chief Physician of the Kampemba Health Zone, members of the

local development committee, members of civil society, members of COPA and CODESA.

• Bukanda: The Secteur Head, the Kipushi Sub-Proved, the supervisor of the Kafubu Health Zone,

members of the local development committee, members of civil society, members of COPAs

and CODESA as well as a journalist from the RTNC.

The objective was the same as the above similar workshops, to involve the stakeholders in the process

of implementing the intervention plan and to launch the mapping of the environment and the

stakeholders.

The participants assumed ownership of the intervention plan and demonstrated their availability to

support the implementation of the activities detailed in the plans. An adoption certificate for each plan

was signed by the ETD stakeholders.

Lualaba

On August 10, a meeting to adopt the USAID IGA intervention plan and the launch of the mapping of

actors in the ETD took place in the Chefferie of Bayeke. The meeting was attended by 19 people,

including two women, including the Administrative Secretary, delegates of the Chefferie, the Chief

Medical Officer of the Bunkeya Health Zone, a representative of the Lubudi 2 educational sub-division,

representatives of the Local Development Committee, members of civil society, members of CODESA

and COPA, the President of the FEC and a representative of the local media. A certificate of adoption

was signed by the delegates of the Local Committee for the Development of the Chefferie, Civil Society,

the Health Zone, the EPST Sub-Division, and endorsed by the Chefferie.

Regarding the mapping of actors, local initiatives exist but discussions are underway in order to better

understand and take into account these initiatives in the process of developing the mapping of actors

A meeting to approve the intervention plan in the Commune of Manika, Kolwezi, took place on

September 4. Eighteen people including three women took part in this meeting among which, Heads of

Quartiers, staff of the ETD, COPAs, CODESAs, the educational sub-division and CSOs. The main

objective of these meetings was to further involve ETDs and local actors in the process of implementing

intervention plans for better ownership of the activities through a participatory approach. Participants

also received guidance on how to carry out the mapping of the environment and actors.


A meeting to approve the intervention plan in the Commune of Dilala in Kolwezi took place on

September 9, with 20 participants, including five women, from the Commune, Health Zone, the

Educational Sub-division and civil society organizations. The main objective was to involve participants in

planning USAID IGA’s activities in the Commune and start the process for the mapping of actors in the

Commune.

The participants approved the activities contained in the Intervention Plan consolidated by IGA. In

addition, participants were given guidance on how to carry out the mapping of the actors by themselves

before the launch of the activities. Selection criteria for community leaders to appear in the mapping

were defined. A document testifying to the approval of the Commune’s intervention plan was signed by

all stakeholders.

South Kivu

A meeting to adopt the intervention plan for Bagira Commune, Bukavu took place on September 2. It

was attended by 18 people including four women from among ETD administrative leaders, influential

people or community leaders, the health zone, the educational sub-division, COPA and CODESA, civil

society (coordination and CSO) and the Federation of Businesses of Congo and the Bourgmestre himself

Mr. Patience Bengehya Wangwabo. A certificate of adoption of the intervention plan was signed by all

the stakeholders including the Bourgmestre of the Commune.

The meeting was also an opportunity to launch the mapping of actors. Participants received instructions

on how to carry it out by themselves before the launch of IGA activities. A first part of mapping of the

environment and of the actors was carried out during this meeting, which served as a practical example

for the continuation of the process.

Similar meetings to adopt the intervention plans in the Chefferies of Kaziba, Luhwindja and Burhinyi, took

place respectively on September 5, 7 and 9. Sixty participants (20 participants per ETD) took part

including 11 women. These participants came from ETD executives, influential people or community

leaders, Kaziba and Mwana Health Zones, Walungu 3 and Mwenga 2 Education Sub-Divisions, COPA

and CODESA, Civil Society (coordination and CSOs) and FEC.

These plans are the result of data collection during the identification workshops of intervention plans

held from May 18 - 20 in Kaziba, from May 22 - 25 in Luhwindja, from May 27 - 29 in Burhinyi. In

addition, the stakeholders of the ETDs received guidance of how to carry out mapping of the

environment and the actors. During these meetings, part of the mapping of the environment and of the

actors was carried out.

Similar meetings were organized in the Chefferies of Luindi and Buhavu on September 11 and 14,

respectively. The main objective of these meetings was to involve ETDs and local actors in the process

of setting up plans for the implementation of defined activities, through a participatory approach. In

addition, it was used to start implementation of the mapping of the actors and environment in these

ETDs.


The participants approved the activities contained in their respective intervention plans consolidated by

IGA from the data collection by these ETDs during the identification workshops held from June 18 - 20

in Luindi, and June 25 - 27, in Buhavu. In addition, the local actors of these two ETDs received guidance

on how to carry out mapping of the actors by themselves, before the launch of the activities by USAID

IGA. During these meetings, part of the stakeholder mapping was carried out in the above-mentioned

ETDs.

There were 20 participants including two women in Luindi, and 19 people including two women in

Buhavu from ETD executives, influential people or community leaders, Mwenga and Kalehe health

zones, Kamituga education sub-division and Kalehe 1 sub-division, the COPA and CODESA, civil society

(coordination and CSOs) and the FEC. Approval of the intervention plan in each ETD was signed by all

parties.

North Kivu

A preparatory meeting for the adoption of USAID IGA’s intervention plan in Butembo and the Chefferie

of Baswagha was held at the IGA Butembo office on July 28. This meeting was intended for IGA CSO

partners and aimed to:

• Obtain the support of CSOs and organizations, their ownership of the IGA project, and

their involvement in the implementation of activities in the target ETDs;

• Present the data generation process leading to the intervention plan, discuss the content of

the intervention plan and obtain their comments;

• Share the multi-actor approach in order to have a common understanding;

• Exchange good practices in ETDs that the IGA project should capitalize on.

Ten people attended this meeting, including six CSO representatives, namely: the Centre de Formation et

d’Action pour le Développement Sociale (CEFADES); the Center for Applied Legal Studies (CEJA); the

Diocesan Justice and Peace Commission (CDJP); the Federation of Businesses of Congo (FEC); the

Catholic University of Graben (UCG); and the Groupe d’Associations de Défense des Droits de l’Homme et

de la Paix (GADHOP). The participants expressed their availability to become involved in the

A participant at the

workshop in Burhinyi

managing the mapping


implementation of the activities for the project and promised to use their knowledge of the field and

their expertise for the success of the project in Butembo.

Suggestions in terms of technical activities to be carried out in the field were made by the participants.

These suggestions will be incorporated into the intervention plan before its adoption in the new ETDs.

Concerns were expressed by the participants, summarized as follows: :

• The current political context, especially with regards to the appointed authorities

accountable only to the politicians who appointed them and not to the population;

municipal and local elections must therefore be organized so that the authorities are

effectively accountable to voters.

• The project deadline. For the participants, there is not enough time to make meaningful

change, especially since the population has become pessimistic about change and the

behavior of political actors. There is also insufficient time to complete projects, which

means that several projects could fail and have no impact.

Further adoption of the IGA intervention plan by local actors of ETD partners in Butembo took place

on July 30 - 31 for the Communes of Kimemi and Bulengera and August 4 - 5 for the Communes of

Vulamba and Mususa. These activities brought together 79 participants including 16 women.

In each meeting, the participants included representatives of the ETD, COPA of target schools,

CODESA of target CS, FEC, OSC CEJA, CEDJP, CEFADES, GADHOP, Catholic University of Graben as

well as representatives health zones of Butembo, Katwa and educational sub-divisions of Butembo 1 and

Butembo 2. It should be recalled that most of the participants who were invited are those who had

taken part in the workshops which resulted in communal intervention plans whose activities were then

grouped into a single intervention plan.

The results of these meetings were:

• Local actors took ownership of the intervention plan and committed to supporting the IGA

project;

• The data for the mapping of stakeholders and the environment were agreed upon and the

mapping process was launched;

• Good practices identified in the ETDs during the inventory workshops were discussed. Those

which were approved by the actors were noted by IGA;

• The intervention plan was signed by the local stakeholders in all the ETDs.

Adoption of the IGA intervention plan in the Baswagha Chefferie took place on August 6. The event was

attended by 16 people including three women. Representatives of the following structures participated

in this activity: CARG/Baswagha, ETD staff, civil society representatives included the Catholic

Church/Parish of Musienene, the new civil society, FEC/Musienene, the local media, the Musienene

health zone, COPA, CODESA and the educational sub-division of Lubero.

The Mwami himself chaired the session of the intervention plan alongside the IGA/Butembo technical

team. The Mwami Nzanzu Bonane des Baswagha and the Bourgmestre of Bulengera Commune are two


ETD managers who are very involved in the implementation of IGA project activities in their respective

ETDs.

HEALTH CENTER DIAGNOSTICS

Haut Katanga

A workshop between the IGA and the Integrated Health Project (IHP) to share data on Niche and

Bukama health centers in Katuba, Lubumbashi, was held from July 21 - 22, and attended by 17 people

including nine women. IHP was represented by Dr. Bruno Kapinga, in charge of the program in the

province of Haut Katanga.

The main objective of the workshop was to support CSOs and communities find solutions to improve

service delivery within health centers in areas covered by IGA and IHP. The local CSOs, communities,

CODESA, head nurses and the ETD identified priorities to be submitted to IHP for future interventions.

Among these defined priorities were:

For health centers:

• Supplying health centers with essential drugs;

• Equipping health centers with medical materials;

• Providing support for the rehabilitation and construction of health center infrastructure.

For CODESAs:

• Granting of funding for the holding of CODESA operational meetings;

• Providing support for meetings for awareness-building activities of women for pre-natal

consultations and other conditions.

A workshop to share data between the IGA and IHP Projects for the improvement of services within

health centers in Likasi was held from July 24 - 28. This data sharing concerned eight health centers,

including two who are already being supported, Simba and Kupuluka; and 6 new ones: Nguya,

Kampemba and Petwe Niche and Bukama, Belle-Vue, Kampumpi and Milumba. The event was attended

by 32 people, including nine women. IHP was represented by Dr. Bruno Kapinga. The aim of the

workshop was to support CSOs and communities in finding solutions to improve service delivery within

health centers in areas covered by IGA and IHP. Priorities for IHP to address were:

For health centers:

• Supplying health centers with essential drugs;

• Equipping health centers with medical materials;

• Providing support for the rehabilitation and construction of health center infrastructure.

For CODESAs:

• Providing grants to fund the holding of CODESA operational meetings;

• Providing support for meetings to raise awareness of women for prenatal care and other

conditions.


Kasai Oriental

From September 21 - 24, a workshop for sharing data on community diagnostics of health centers

between the IGA and IHP projects in IGA ETD partners within Kasai Oriental was organized. This

workshop was held in two sessions. The first, from September 21 - 22, concerned the Lukalaba Ouest

and Kalonji Sud health centers in the Chefferie of Bakwa Kalonji; and the Sankay and Chrétien/CHPM

health centers in Dibindi Commune, Mbuji Mayi.

The second session from September 23 - 24, concerned the sharing of data on community diagnoses of

Mukeba and Tshishimbi health centers in Kabala Secteur; and Bon Berger and CS Christ Roi health

centers in the Commune of Bipemba, Mbuji Mayi.

The main objective of this workshop was to support CSOs and communities in finding solutions to

improve service delivery within health centers in areas covered by IGA and IHP in Kasai Oriental. It was

an opportunity for local actors (local CSOs, communities, CODESA, IT and ETD) to share diagnostic

data and improvement plans with IHP in order to jointly seek solutions.

28 participants took part in these meetings, including seven women. These participants included ETD

representatives, influential members of the community around health centers, health MCZs, presidents

of CODESAs, Head Nurses, community health workers, partner CSOs of USAID IGA, and

representatives of the local media. The activity was facilitated by the representatives of CODESAs and

the head nurses; as well as representatives of the health partner CSOs. Dr. Dominique Kanku, Provincial

Director of IHP was present at these workshops.

The workshops identified strengths and weaknesses in the community scorecard process, and a list of

possible interventions by the two projects was prepared. A subsequent workshop, the dates of which

are to be agreed between the IGA and IHP teams, will deal with the priorities of the actors. A timetable

for the implementation of these priorities will be established by the two projects. The aim is to improve

the services within these health centers.

INTEGRATION OF CROSSCUTTING ISSUES AND USAID

FORWARD PRIORITIES

GENDER EQUALITY AND WOMEN’S EMPOWERMENT

WOMEN’S PARTICIPATION IN IGA ACTIVITIES

The overall percentages are very similar to last year.

ALL ACTIVITIES 2020

PROVINCE TOTAL # ALL PARTICIPANTS # OF WOMEN AVERAGE % OF WOMEN

Haut Uele 88 4 5%

Haut-Katanga 589 190 32%

Kasai-Central 752 241 32%

Kasai-Oriental 1253 359 29%

Lualaba 214 75 35%


ALL ACTIVITIES 2020

PROVINCE TOTAL # ALL PARTICIPANTS # OF WOMEN AVERAGE % OF WOMEN

Nord Kivu 384 69 18%

Sud-Kivu 1193 291 24%

GRAND TOTAL 4473 1229 27%

LEADERSHIP

MANAGERS OF FACILITIES

Of IGA’s four targeted primary schools in Haut Katanga, two are run by women and two by men.

Interestingly, the schools run by men have women in charge of the COPA and vice versa.

The same is true for the four targeted health centers in Haut Katanga, two of which are managed by

women and two others by men. The CODESA of the Bukama Center is headed by a woman,

Ms. Pétronille. Of IGA’s two targeted health zones, one is managed by a woman and the other by a

man. Of IGA’s three educational sub-divisions, two are managed by women and only one by a man.

The overall percentage of structures with women in a leadership position is 68%, however, when

broken out individually, several are quite low – Lufira at 33% and Nganza, Kabala and Bakwa Kalonji at

only 25%. But seven ETDs have at least one women leader in every structure. North Kivu has the

highest percentage1 with 85% of their structures reporting a women leader and Kasaï Oriental has the

lowest with only 50% having a woman leader. COPAs do generally better than CODESAs with 78% vs.

59% reporting women leaders.

PROVINCE/ETD # STRUCTURES2

REPORTING

# W/ WOMEN

LEADER

% W/ WOMEN

LEADERS

Haut Katanga 14 8 57%

Katuba 4 4 100%

Likasi 4 2 50%

Lufira 6 2 33%

Kasaï Central 20 13 65%

Kananga 4 2 50%

Katoka 4 3 75%

Lukonga 4 3 75%

Ndesha 4 4 100%

Nganza 4 1 25%

Kasaï Oriental 16 8 50%

Bakwa Kalonji 4 1 25%

Bipemba 4 4 100%

Dibindi 4 2 50%

Kabala 4 1 25%

Lualaba 4 4 100%

1 Lualaba is 100% but has only one ETD reporting

2 Structures counted are CODESA, COPA and CARG


PROVINCE/ETD # STRUCTURES2

REPORTING

# W/ WOMEN

LEADER

% W/ WOMEN

LEADERS

Manika 4 4 100%

Nord Kivu 20 17 85%

Baswagha 4 4 100%

Bulengera 4 3 75%

Kimemi 4 3 75%

Mususa 4 4 100%

Vulamba 4 3 75%

Sud Kivu 14 10 71%

Kabare 5 3 60%

Kadutu 4 2 50%

Ngweshe 5 5 100%

GRAND TOTAL 88 60 68%

PARITY

Two ETDs exceed parity – Ndesha in Kasaï Central and Kadutu in South Kivu. And two others are very

close – Bulengera and Baswagha, both in North Kivu. Haut Katanga and Kasaïs Oriental are relatively

low compared to the other provinces. Overall parity is essentially the same as last year.

PROVINCE/ETD

AVERAGE % WOMEN IN CODESA,

COPA, OSC-P AND CARG

Haut Katanga 37%

Katuba 40%

Likasi 43%

Lufira 31%

Kasaï Central 42%

Kananga 32%

Katoka 41%

Lukonga 41%

Ndesha 54%

Nganza 44%

Kasaï Oriental 36%

Bakwa Kalonji 33%

Bipemba 40%

Dibindi 39%

Kabala 31%

Lualaba 48%

Manika 48%

Nord Kivu 40%

Baswagha 48%

Bulengera 49%

Kimemi 37%

Mususa 26%


PROVINCE/ETD

AVERAGE % WOMEN IN CODESA,

COPA, OSC-P AND CARG

Vulamba 43%

Sud Kivu 45%

Kabare 38%

Kadutu 55%

Ngweshe 44%

GRAND TOTAL 41%

The three co-management structures are very similar but the CSOs seem to do relatively better on

parity.

TYPE OF STRUCTURE AVERAGE % WOMEN IN STRUCTURE

CARG 39%

CODESA 38%

COPA 40%

CSO 45%

GRAND TOTAL 41%

At a more granular level however, there is considerable variation – from a high of 72% women in the

CSOs of Kadutu (in Bukavu) to a low of 10% for COPAs in Mususa (in Butembo).

PROVINCE/ETD AND

TYPE OF STRUCTURE

AVERAGE % WOMEN IN

STRUCTURE

Haut Katanga 37%

Katuba 40%

CODESA 43%

COPA 36%

Likasi 43%

CODESA 50%

COPA 36%

Lufira 31%

CODESA 31%

Kasaï Central 42%

Kananga 32%

CODESA 20%

COPA 40%

CSO 35%

Katoka 41%

CODESA 20%

COPA 46%

CSO 52%

Lukonga 41%

CODESA 30%


PROVINCE/ETD AND

TYPE OF STRUCTURE

AVERAGE % WOMEN IN

STRUCTURE

COPA 57%

CSO 37%

Ndesha 54%

CODESA 50%

COPA 61%

CSO 53%

Nganza 44%

CODESA 30%

COPA 29%

CSO 63%

Kasaï Oriental 36%

Bakwa Kalonji 33%

CODESA 28%

COPA 36%

CSO 35%

Bipemba 40%

CODESA 44%

COPA 28%

CSO 50%

Dibindi 39%

CODESA 33%

COPA 43%

CSO 41%

Kabala 31%

CODESA 33%

COPA 33%

CSO 29%

Lualaba 48%

Manika 48%

CODESA 58%

COPA 42%

CSO 45%

Nord Kivu 40%

Bulengera 48%

CODESA 45%

COPA 50%

Baswagha 49%

CODESA 53%

COPA 44%

Kimemi 37%

CODESA 42%


PROVINCE/ETD AND

TYPE OF STRUCTURE

AVERAGE % WOMEN IN

STRUCTURE

COPA 31%

Mususa 26%

CODESA 43%

COPA 10%

Vulamba 43%

CODESA 40%

PREPARATION OF LISTS OF PARTICIPANTS IN THE WORKSHOPS

During preparatory meetings, IGA ensures the participation of women as well as young people. These

preparatory meetings are used to agree upon the content of the workshops and identify the

participants. This approach allows for the identification and sufficient participation of women and young

people in the workshops.

WORKSHOP STRUCTURING

In all USAID IGA activities, the project continues to prioritize integrating gender equality and the

empowerment of women, as well as the engagement of young people to pursue the inclusive approach

in order to promote equality. Many young people come from community leaders and IGA encourages

school and health center providers to restructure their COPAs and CODESAs together with the

community.

In order to help overcome cultural and other obstacles identified in the participation of women in the

community, IGA takes the opportunity in each activity to strengthen female and/or youth leadership by

assigning women certain roles or tasks, such as:

• Transcribe the group's work on the flip chart;

• Preside over the working groups;

• Report of the outputs of the working groups;

• Participate actively in the workshops;

• Develop and present the reports for the workshop days, etc.

In IGA activities, gender equality is respected, and a greater role is given to young people.

One activity that has been particularly effective in creating space for women and youth has been Activity

9.1 which focuses on giving communities a stronger role in social oversight. Inherent in this has been the

strengthening of a role for women and youth.

During these workshops, IGA does the following:

• During the workshops, presentations are made with an emphasis on the role of women and

young people in COPA, COGES, CODESA, CARG, etc. Also, the IGA Citizen Engagement

Mechanism, insists on the role that women and young people can play like other citizens at each

stage of the mechanism to contribute to change in the ETD.


• During the workshops, the second day is devoted to group work. Women and young people

not only play an important role in presenting the work of the groups in plenary, but their

participation in the forums also makes it possible to take into account the specific support needs

of women and young people.

IGA use a local languages to make it easier for all to be involved, especially those who have difficulty

expressing themselves in French.

FACILITATION BY WOMEN

A workshop was held on September 16 and 18 to discuss and approve the 2020-2021 budgets of

Kamanyola and I Manika primary schools respectively, in Kolwezi in order to bring the stakeholders

around these schools to mobilize local funding for support.

The workshops were facilitated by the itinerant Inspector of Kolwezi East Pool, Ms. Isal Yav Petronille.

The budget project validation workshops for the two schools were attended by 32 people including ten

women.

YOUTH ENGAGEMENT

IGA’S POLICY

When preparing activities, IGA always asks partners to ensure young people of both sexes are

represented.

IGA works to ensure everyone's participation and inclusion by offering participants, especially young

people, the opportunity to make their voices heard to improve service delivery and shape the social

pact between citizens and those in charge of partner facilities.

USAID aims to strengthen the leadership of young people by playing roles such as:

• Chair the working groups

• Reporting the outputs of the working groups

• Intervene during the workshops, either to present a concern or to provide answers to a

question or concern raised by a participant

• Develop and present the reports of the days of the workshops, etc.

USAID IGA also actively encourages young people to make their voices heard. Issues of concern to

them include the need to improve service delivery and to have increased representation in social

responsibility structures (COPA, CODESA or CARG). Young people are increasingly appointed as

chairpersons of Focus Groups or as secretaries.


COMMUNITY LEADERSHIP

Leader mapping updates have demonstrated that many young people find themselves on IGA’s lists as

community leaders to better involve them. For example, in the participatory diagnostic activities for

change in Likasi in relation to six new health centers and six new schools, young people took the lead

in raising awareness and community mobilization. It is also worth noting that two journalists from

the Katanga Community Radio, who host popular programs relevant to the work of USAID IGA, are 22

and 25 years old.

For the work of mapping actors in the communities, the different groups formed are often chaired by

the young people who excel at identifying community leaders in the field.

SUPPORT FOR SCHOOLS AND HEALTH CENTERS

In the activities relating to the recovery plans of schools and health centers, young people are actively

involved in awareness-raising activities, in particular during campaigns to fight against insalubrity in

schools and health centers that are part of the initiative.

During the approval of the 2020-2021 budget forecast in the IGA partner primary schools of

Ngweshe, Kadutu and Kabare, young men and women were the guiding epicenter of the debates during

the balancing of income and expenditure envisaged in various forecasts.

They are involved in activities to increase community participation in the management of schools and

health centers to improve the quality of education and health services. Indeed, all the ten sensitizers of

the project "Support for sensitization and community capacity building for improving the quality of

education and health services in Kolwezi" are young people, and will be operational in the field for seven

months.

A group meeting

being facilitated by a

young man


ACTIVISM

Young people who participate in the activities of the IGA project are more and more active and

coordinate the actions of demand for accountability of local leaders vis-à-vis citizens to improve public

services.

Young people are very active in civil society in general and within partner CSOs in particular.

For example, in Butembo young people increasingly demand more explanations from authorities,

especially regarding the security of the city, improving urban roads and peaceful resolution of land

disputes which often result in the evictions of peaceful citizens from their homes.

LOCAL CAPACITY DEVELOPMENT

USAID IGA has adopted a policy of progressively transferring responsibility for facilitation in workshops

to employees of local agencies and community members. In addition, the community score card

program has helped communities to share responsibility with the staff of schools and health centers for

the management and physical standard and thereby made a major impact on the capacity of local

communities to address the problems they face. During the recent quarter there has been a major

thrust to improve financial management of the ETDs and train accounting staff to manage their

resources better while focusing on increasing revenues. Another important respect in which the project

has increased capacity has been training the joint community/ETD planning and budget committees to

work effectively. Detailed description of the activities are contained elsewhere; below are summaries of

these activities.

PROGRESSIVELY TRANSFERRING RESPONSIBILITY FOR FACILITATION IN WORKSHOPS

TO EMPLOYEES OF LOCAL AGENCIES AND COMMUNITY MEMBERS

One of the most important achievements of USAID IGA in ensuring sustainability has been an increase

in the use of local staff as facilitators of workshops.

For example, Mr Lambert Tshisuaka, IPPAF and Mr James Muambuluishi, Inspool of the Lupatapata sub-

division facilitated workshops to exchange experiences between Kasai Central and Kasai Oriental on

good practice in school financial management took place from September 14 – 16, and from September

17 - 19 in Kananga.

The same pair conducted workshops on budgeting and financial management in Kasai Oriental in the

Commune of Dibindi, Mbuji Mayi, on August 3, and Kabala, Bipemba and Bakwa Kalonji, Kasai Oriental,

from August 5 – 11

The Deputy Principal Inspector in charge of training facilitated an exchange workshop on the school

audit process on August 6 - 7 in Kabare, South Kivu. Her Excellency the Minister of EPST Sud Kivu, Mrs.

Géneviève Mizumbi Namutondo attended the workshop and officially opened and closed it.

The itinerant Inspector of Kolwezi East Pool, Ms.Isal Yav Petronille, facilitated a workshop on September

16 and 18 to discuss and approve the 2020-2021 budgets of Kamanyola and I Manika primary schools

respectively in Kolwezi in order to bring the stakeholders around these schools to mobilize local funding

to support them.


Mr. Ephrem Birindwa, Human Resources Officer at the Provincial Health Inspectorate of South Kivu

facilitated a workshop with the Maendeleo and Nyamugo health centers, Kadutu, Bukavu, from August

10 – 12 on financial and stock management, and one in Kabare from August 21 - 24 Sud-Kivu for the

partner health centers of Bugobe and Ludaha.

Representatives of CODESAs and the head nurses; as well as representatives of the health partner

CSOs facilitated workshops for sharing data on community diagnostics of Lukalaba Ouest and Kalonji

Sud health centers in the Chefferie of Bakwa Kalonji; and the Sankay and Chrétien/CHPM health centers

in Dibindi Commune, Mbuji Mayi, and Mukeba and Tshishimbi health centers in Kabala Secteur; and Bon

Berger and CS Christ Roi health centers in the Commune of Bipemba, Mbuji Mayi. held from September

21 – 24.

Adalbert Murhi, Head of Works and Administrative Secretary of Ngweshe and Professor Munyabeni

Nyembo, Deputy Bourgmestre of Kadutu conducted a workshop from September 22 - 24 for tax

collectors in the Commune of Kadutu in Bukavu.

BUILDING FINANCIAL MANAGEMENT CAPACITY IN ETDS (ACTIVITY 3.1) AND

BUILDING THE CAPACITY OF COMMUNITIES TO SHARE RESPONSIBILITY WITH THE

STAFF OF SCHOOLS AND HEALTH CENTERS FOR THE MANAGEMENT AND PHYSICAL

STANDARDS (ACTIVITY 9.1)

FINANCIAL MANAGEMENT

The review of financial management and the performance of own revenue collection of Manika

Commune, Kolwezi, took place from July 6 – 8 with 13 participants including four women. The objective

was to help ETDs to increase the level of their own income and to adopt the performance evaluation

monitoring mechanism

Similar events were conducted with the

• Ville of Butembo, from July 8 – 10.

• Dilala Commune, Kolwezi, from July 9 – 11

• Ville of Kolwezi on July 27 - 28

IMPLEMENTATION OF RECOVERY PLANS DEVELOPED IN THE SCORE CARD WORKSHOPS

From July 6 – 7 a workshop was conducted in Likasi with the CODESAs for the Kupuluka and Simba

Health Centers and the COPA of the Maendeleo 1 and Mapinduzi 4 Primary Schools to assess progress

in implementation of recovery plans and assess the methods used.

A similar workshop was held in the Commune of Bipemba, Mbuji Mayi from July 13 – 14 with the

CODESAs and COPAs of the CS Bon Berger and CS Christ Roi health centers and the Tuendele and

Mutombo Kaci primary schools.

A workshop was held in Kabala Secteur on July 15 - 16 to assess progress in the implementation of

recovery plans and support plans resulting from the score car workshops and to evaluate the method

and approaches related to this process.


A similar workshop was held in the Commune of Dibindi, Mbuji Mayi on July 17 – 20 with the

CODESAs of Sankay and Chretien/CHPM and the COPAs of Luabanya and EP of June 30,

CREATING SUPPORT NETWORKS

On August 11, a “network of actors in the field of local public finance” was initiated and implemented by

USAID IGA in South Kivu. Composed of internal expertise within ETDs and civil society, the network

aims not only to share best practices in the area of local public finance but also to ensure effective

support for ETD financial services in their daily financial management. This initiative falls within the

framework of the implementation of the mechanism for the adoption by participating ETDs of the good

practices instituted by the IGA project.

Provide the ETDs with expertise in budgeting, financial monitoring, accountability and public finance

management;

• Share knowledge in the field of budgeting and financial management of ETDs;

• Establish a database on ETD public finances;

• Promote citizen participation in budgeting and citizen control;

• Work with ETDs to strengthen accountability, public financial management, management

systems, revenue mobilization, transparency and oversight processes.

SUPPORT JOINT ETD / CIVIL SOCIETY BUDGET COMMITTEES

A workshop to exchange experiences between the partner ETDs in Haut Katanga and Lualaba on

financial management and the budget process was held in Likasi on July 30-31, as described in detail

under Activity 4.1.

TRAINING OF TAX COLLECTORS

From September 22 - 24, 2020, a workshop was held for tax collectors in the Commune of Kadutu in

Bukavu, with 19 participants including six women. It was led by Adalbert Murhi, Head of Works and

Administrative Secretary of Ngweshe and Professor Munyabeni Nyembo, Deputy Bourgmestre of Kadutu

PLANNING COMMITTEES

ASSIST NEWLY SELECTED ETDS TO PREPARE LOCAL DEVELOPMENT PLANS (LDP)

A workshop to prepare a local development plan for the Commune of Bagira, Bukavu, was held from

June 24 – 29. The same process was followed at the:

• Chefferie of Kaziba, Sud Kivu Province from July 1 – 6

• Chefferie of Luhwindja, Sud Kivu from July 7-11

• Chefferie of Burhinyi, South Kivu, from July 15 – 19,

• Chefferie of Luindi, Sud-Kivu from July 21 – 25

Based on a socio-economic study carried out in 2016 and an in-depth diagnosis in the Chefferie of

Buhavu, South Kivu, a 2019-2023 development plan was prepared with the support of partners, KFW

and VNG International. The Local Development Committee held a workshop from July 28 to August 1

to provide the members with the necessary capacity to make it operational and effective. Twenty

participants took part in this workshop including one woman.


ASSISTING NEWLY SELECTED ETDS TO PREPARE PARTICIPATORY BUDGETS

A workshop on participatory budgeting and financial management was held at Kaziba Chefferie from July

7 – 10, The workshop gave the ETD the capacity to manage its own participatory budget process and

established a committee to oversee expenditure.

Workshops with the same content were also held as follows:

• Chefferie of Luhwindja from July 14 – 17.

• Chefferie of Burhinyi Chefferie, took place from July 21 to 24.

• Chefferie of Luindi from July 28 – 31.

• Chefferie of Buhavu from August 4 – 7.

• Lufira Secteur on September 17 – 21

• Commune of Kimemi, Butembo from September 15 – 18.

• Commune of Bulengera, Butembo from September 21 – 24.

HEALTH ZONE TRAINING IN HEALTH CARE MANAGEMENT

A workshop to development the capacity of health zone management teams was held in Kananga from

September 21 – 25 to develop the capacity of the Management Team of the health zone, with particular

emphasis on good governance and effective support for the health centers for which they are

responsible.

STRENGTHEN THE SYSTEM FOR SCHOOL INSPECTIONS AND AUDITS

An experience exchange workshop on the school audit process in Lualaba province was held in Kolwezi

on July 27 - 28, to share best practices from the audit process implemented in public schools. These

experiences (methodology, tool) were presented by the Inspectors who had carried out these audits in

schools. A similar one was conducted on August 6 - 7 in Kabare, South Kivu.

INTEGRATION AND COLLABORATION

IHP MEGA

A workshop between the IGA and IHP projects to share data on Niche and Bukama health centers in

Katuba, Lubumbashi, was held from July 21 - 22, and attended by 17 people including nine women. The

IHP Project was represented by Dr Bruno Kapinga, in charge of the program in the province of Haut

Katanga.

A workshop to share data between the IGA and IHP projects for the improvement of services within

health centers in Likasi was held from July 24 - 28. This data sharing concerned eight health centers,

including two who are already being supported, Simba and Kupuluka; and 6 new ones: Nguya,

Kampemba and Petwe Niche and Bukama, Belle-Vue, Kampumpi and Milumba. The event was attended

by 32 people, including nine women. The IHP Project was represented by Dr Bruno Kapinga.

From September 21 - 24, workshops were held to share data on community diagnostics of health

centers between the IGA and IHP projects in Kasai Oriental in the Chefferie of Bakwa Kalonji; Dibindi

Commune, Mbuji Mayi; Kabala Secteur, and the Commune of Bipemba, Mbuji Mayi.


KIVU VALUE CHAIN

On Wednesday August 26 a feedback session of CARG financial management took place between

USAID IGA and the KVC-TETRATECH in the Chefferies of Kabare and Ngweshe which took place

respectively in Katana from August 13 - 15 and in Walungu from August 17- 19. The meeting resolved

to

• Increase the number of meetings between the two projects to adopt a common approach in the

field in order to ensure complementarity and synergy in various interventions.

• Co-organize activities falling within the framework of the promotion of the Public Private

Partnerships within the member cooperatives of the CARGs in October-November 2020.

LINKS WITH OTHER DONOR ACTIVITIES

VNG (INTERNATIONAL COOPERATION AGENCY OF THE ASSOCIATION OF NETHERLANDS

MUNICIPALITIES).

A budget committee composed of nine people and not sufficiently extended to citizens had been set up

within the ETD with the support of VNG. However, this committee is currently not operational and a

workshop was conducted in the Chefferie of Buhavu from August 4 - 7 to improve the participatory

budgeting process.

PROFIT CONGO

USAID IGA has also built on the work of the World Bank project, PROFIT Congo, that set up Quartier

Local Peace and Development Committees and the Human Rights Committees in Kimemi Commune in

Butembo, It held a workshop to strengthen the participatory budgeting process from September 15 -

18. A similar workshop was held in the Commune of Bulengera, Butembo had also received support from

PROFIT Congo from September 21 – 24.

SUSTAINABILITY

USAID IGA continues to contribute to focus on helping its partners, whether ETDs, schools and health

centers, or CSOs to become truly sustainable through self-reliance. This can take different forms,

whether through taxation reform and improved financial management at the ETD level, or helping

communities to develop recovery plans and motivate community members and their public sector

stakeholders to contribute financially to maintenance and construction costs.

This is being achieved by working on three fronts.

The first has been the involvement of beneficiaries in planning and managing service provision. In the

case of ETDs joint civil society and ETD staff committees have been established to oversee

implementation of community-driven action plans and participatory budgets. In the case of schools and

health centers, the oversight committees have been trained and given a better understanding of their

powers and duties. Community score cards have been used to identify shortcomings in service and

unsatisfactory facilities.

Secondly, the action plans help stakeholders to look at their own resources and see how they are used.

Following the very successful model of the previous project, the Programme de Bonne Gouvernance (PBG),

ETDs enter into a partnership with civil society whereby the ETD will (a) improve service delivery,


resulting in increased willingness to pay, (b) reduce corruption and (c) rationalize taxation structures to

make them easier to understand and pay.

Thirdly the plans generated – particularly “Recovery Plans” prepared at Score Card workshops –provide

the basis for communities to become aware of what needs doing and how to obtain funds to do it.

These create a sense of responsibility and stimulate efforts to raise funds and engage in community-led

improvements.

Meanwhile, the project is scrupulous in tailoring its activities in such a way that they are replicable and

sustainable without international aid. No attendance fees are paid, transport costs allowances are set at

an absolute minimum, plans are prepared by the community – not external experts – and facilitation of

workshops and similar events is done by local consultants and conjunction with government staff. To

ensure sustainability, USAID IGA conducts workshops to train CSOs to reproduce the training received

in other localities. The same is true of accountability or citizen control exercises, all of which are led by

CSOs with technical support from USAID IGA. The majority of facilitation of the second round of

score card activities has been done by local experts without financial support from USAID IGA. In Haut

Katanga, a workshop on school financial management was conducted by the Chief Inspector of Pool

Lubumbashi 2 without any financial support from USAID IGA.

These measures have been designed so that after USAID IGA project ends, tools such as participatory

budgeting and score cards can be operated within the means of those concerned. The fact that these

methods are still being applied in most ETDs that participated in PBG demonstrates that the approach is

the right one.

ENVIRONMENTAL COMPLIANCE

No activities have been undertaken that have any environmental impact.

MANAGEMENT AND ADMINISTRATIVE ISSUES

During this year, the following deliverables were submitted:

Table 2: Summary of 2020 Deliverables

DELIVERABLE NAME SUBMISSION DATE STATUS

Year 5 Annual Workplan September 1, 2020 Approved

FY20 Q3 Quarterly Report July 30, 2020 Approved

FY20 Q2 Quarterly Report April 30, 2020 Approved

FY20 Q1 Quarterly Report 30 January 2020 Approved

Year 3 Annual Report 30 October 2019 Approved

FY2019 Q4 Quarterly Progress

Report (included as part of Year 3

Annual Report)

30 October 2019 Approved

Communications & Outreach

Messages FY19 Q4 (included as

part of Year 3 Annual Report)


Technical Materials (included as

part of Year 3 Annual Report)


Indicator Tracking Sheet FY19 Q4

(included as part of Year 3 Annual

Report)



DELIVERABLE NAME SUBMISSION DATE STATUS

Financial Reports FY19 Q4

(included as part of Year 3 Annual

Report)


Over the course of FY20, in order to provide effective support in the implementation of activities in the

40 ETDs, including 22 new ETDs, IGA recruited 27 new employees and, to date, has 82 staff members,

including six expatriates, as shown in the attached organizational chart (Annex D). Two employees

resigned: The Health Advisor for Lubumbashi, Clotilde Mwape, and the Procurement and Logistics

Assistant for Kinshasa, Stephie Mopende. Both positions have already been filled.

The project is currently recruiting several CCN LTTA experts including two (2) Public Financial

Management Specialists for the Lubumbashi and Kananga offices, one (1) Field Manager for South Kivu,

one (1) M&E Manager Assistant for Kinshasa, and a communications expert to support the use of media

in project activities, particularly to implement the recommendations of the gender consultant.

In order to continue to provide cost savings, ACCELERE! 1 and USAID IGA have continued to share

office space in Kananga and Bukavu. USAID IGA requested the workspace in ACCELERE!1's Kananga

office to accommodate four staff members. In return, ACCELERE!1 requested from USAID IGA,

workspace in the Bukavu office to accommodate four ACCELERE!I staff.


MONITORING, EVALUATION, AND LEARNING

The effects and restrictions due to COVID-19 on project activities had a significant impact on M&E this

period, particularly due to the inability of staff to travel to the field. Additionally, the monitoring,

evaluation and learning (MEL) team was understaffed until later on in FY20. Due to the combination of

these obstacles, MEL team was severely limited in the field during the year. Consequently, data

collection was significantly impacted for certain indicators.

Nevertheless, a new AMELP with indicators more relevant to how the project has evolved, with a

greater emphasis on community participation, was developed and revised for approval in July. Most of

these indicators have historical data that can be collected. For some new indicators, new tools were

and continued to be developed. Given the challenges discussed above, some tools have yet to be tested

and implemented. However, with a complete MEL team in the first quarter of FY 2021 and in

collaboration with program staff, most of this data, including historical data, will be collected in

November and December to be cleaned and analyzed for the first quarter report, barring any other

unforeseen circumstances.

After the AMELP approval, the MEL team began the redesign of the project activity databases to

facilitate the retrieval of results across multiple criteria and perform varied disaggregations. This will

greatly improve the project’s ability to more quickly provide detailed reports and ad hoc requests. This

process requires migrating data from the old database to the new one and, while it was planned to be

complete before the end of FY20, this was not possible due to a delay in onboarding of new technical

staff. These databases will be finalized in Q1 of FY2021.

Three particularly important MEL activities were delayed into next year due to COVID-19 challenges.

The data collection for changes for Kasaï Central is in the process of being collected now and will be

finished during Q1 FY2021. Further data collection on changes in other provinces was also delayed.

The perception survey training (see comments below on specific indicators) was also postponed. It was

originally planned for February but is now scheduled to take place in January 2021.

Finally, the project will start more formal “pause and reflect” sessions which had originally been planned

for training this year. It is not financially feasible to frequently conduct these types of sessions at the

national level given the geographical extent of the project, but will be added to the beginning of the

annual workplan session for this activity. In addition, the project is considering instituting quarterly

sessions at the provincial level based on this training.

INDICATORS

Below is a list extracted from the Summary of Results section that have been delayed or that require

some additional explanations, mostly due to the constraints noted above:

ORD INDICATORS COMMENTS

1 Number of local organizations that received USAID

assistance

LOP needs to be redone once the data

migration is complete; disaggregations will

then be provided


ORD INDICATORS COMMENTS

2 Total amount in USD provided to local organizations

with USAID funds

Funds have been disbursed but they can only

be counted once receipts are submitted and

approved by finance

3 Number of organizations benefitting from capacity-

building activities

LOP needs to be redone once the data

migration is complete; disaggregations will

then be provided

4 Number of trainee days delivered to supported

structures

Multiple disaggregations will be provided

once the data migration is complete

5

Number of USG-supported activities designed to

promote or strengthen the civic participation of

women

This is a new indicator and program is

working on how to integrate it into their

activities

8 Average percentage of civil society members

participating in the planning and budgeting processes

To be collected first quarter; historical data

available

9 Number of institutions/ organizations making significant

improvements with USG support

Data collection was delayed due to inability

to get to the field in a timely fashion

10 Number of supported service facilities where the level

of use has increased over the last year

To be collected first quarter; historical data

available

11 Number of community awareness-raising instances

delivered

New tool to be tested; to be collected first

quarter; historical data available

12 Number of people participating in public debates/

meetings on health, education, and economic growth



13

Percentage of surveyed citizens demonstrating a basic

level of awareness of service delivery standards for

health and education services, and the role of their

community co-management/oversight structures

Can only be done after the perception

survey training in January 2021

14

Number of supported co-management/oversight

structures established and operating at a high level of

compliance to mandate and regulations



16 Number of meetings and/or actions by community

structures and CSOs



17

Number of verified cases in which the local community

has obtained improvements in access to services

transparency, inclusiveness or accountability as a result

of its engagement/lobbying with service providers

Data collection was delayed due to inability

to get to the field in a timely fashion;

disaggregation will be provided on kinds of

improvements once the data migration is

complete

18

Percentage of survey respondents that rank the

performance of their local co-management/oversight

structure as a three or higher on a five-point scale

Can only be done after the perception

survey training in January 2021

25 Number of new public-private partnerships (PPPs)

formed

This was delayed due to the issues noted

above; but the study was completed

26

Number of laws, policies or regulatory frameworks

formally proposed, adopted, implemented or improved

as a result of USG assistance

One achievement is noted and refers to the

Mining Royalties guide

As noted above and with the inclusion of many new indicators, historical data will be collected in Q1

FY21. In addition, the projects is in the process of migrating data to be a database that will permit more

detailed and varied disaggregations which will also become available in Q1 FY21. Finally, this report is

able to benefit from late arriving mapping which can be further developed in FY21. All of these factors


will allow the project to expand upon in future reporting with more detailed disaggregations, more

mapping and more LOP analyses3.

Given the constraints noted above, the project is able to provide the following details for selected

indicators. In future reporting, this more detailed approach will be implemented (and will also be done

retroactively for other indicators when data migration is complete).

Comments on selected other indicators:

ORD INDICATORS FY 20

ANNUAL

TARGET

ACHIE

VE-

MENTS

FY20

PERCENT

ACHIEVE

D FY20

(%)

LOP

TARGET

LOP

ACHIEVE-

MENTS

TO DATE

LOP

PERCENT

ACHIEVED

(%)

1 Number of local organizations that

received USAID assistance 500 766 153% 1,500 1200* 80%

LOP needs to be redone once the new database is ready; disaggregations will be provided

2

Total amount in USD provided to

local organizations with USAID

funds

0 0% 400,000 0 0%

Funds have been disbursed but they can only be counted once receipts are submitted and approved by finance

3

Number of organizations

benefitting from capacity-building

activities

400 676 169% 1,200 1000* 83%

LOP needs to be redone once the new database is ready; disaggregations will be provided

4 Number of trainee days delivered

to supported structures 5,000 9,102 182% 20,000 38,395 192%

Multiple disaggregations will be provided once the database is fully revamped

5

Number of USG-supported

activities designed to promote or

strengthen the civic participation

of women

0 TBD 0

This is a new indicator and program is working on how to integrate it into their activities

6 Average percentage of women in

supported community structures 40% 41% 100% 50% 41% 82%

See further details below

7

Number of supported community

structures with women in

leadership positions

50 60 120% 100 60 60%


9

Number of institutions/

organizations making significant

improvements with USG support

90 24 27% 350 46 20%

Data collection was delayed due to inability to get to the field in a timely fashion

17 Number of verified cases in which

the local community has obtained 90 30 33% 300 97 42%

3 In addition and as also noted above, an ad hoc report for all indicators with more detailed LOP disaggregations will be performed once the

data migration is complete


ORD INDICATORS FY 20

ANNUAL

TARGET

ACHIE

VE-

MENTS

FY20

PERCENT

ACHIEVE

D FY20

(%)

LOP

TARGET

LOP

ACHIEVE-

MENTS

TO DATE

LOP

PERCENT

ACHIEVED

(%)

improvements in access to

services transparency,

inclusiveness or accountability as a

result of its engagement/lobbying

with service providers

Data collection was delayed due to inability to get to the field in a timely fashion; disaggregation will be provided

on kinds improvements once the database is completely revamped

20

Number of supported ETDs

showing improvement in the level

of satisfaction of residents with

quality of local services

10 5 50% 20 5 25%


21


where the level of public trust of

the local government has

increased over the past year

10 4 40% 20 4 20%


24


demonstrating improvement in 3

of 5 public financial management

factors

10 11 110% 20 11 55%


25 Number of new public-private

partnerships (PPPs) formed 1 0 0% 3 0 0%

This was delayed due to the issues noted above; but the study was completed

26

Number of laws, policies or

regulatory frameworks formally

proposed, adopted, implemented

or improved as a result of USG

assistance

1 1 100% 5 1 20%

This is the Mining Royalties guide

INDICATOR 1: NUMBER OF LOCAL ORGANIZATIONS THAT RECEIVED USAID

ASSISTANCE

This can be broken down as follows, according to level and type of structure:

Type of Structure # #

Provincial Structures 10

Sub-Provincial 87

- Sous-PPROED 50

- Health Zone

37

ETD 39

Service Delivery Structure 106

- School 51

- Health Center

55

Co-Management Structure 132



- CODESA 65

- COPA

67

Civil Society Organizations 360

- Partners 76

- Other CSOs 284

Other Organizations 32

TOTAL 766

INDICATOR 3: NUMBER OF ORGANIZATIONS BENEFITTING FROM CAPACITY-

BUILDING ACTIVITIES

This can be broken down as follows, according to level and type of structure


Provincial Structures 10 Sub-Provincial 85

- Sous-PROVED 49

- Health Zone 36

ETD 39 Service Delivery Structure 107

- School 51

- Health Center 54

Co-Management Structure 132 - CODESA 65

- COPA 67

Civil Society Organizations 273 - Partners 76

- Other CSOs 197

Other Organizations 30

TOTAL 676


INDICATOR 6: AVERAGE PERCENTAGE OF WOMEN IN SUPPORTED COMMUNITY

STRUCTURES

These figures are for CODESAs, COPAs, CARGs and partner-CSOs and represent 125 different

reporting structures. The breakdown by province is given in the gender section. It can be mapped as

follows:

There are five ETDs with 45% or better parity and eight that have less than 40% averaged across their

reporting structures. The map indicates the best parity is found in Kananga and the Butembo area and

the least parity in the Mbuji Mayi area.

INDICATOR 7: NUMBER OF SUPPORTED COMMUNITY STRUCTURES WITH WOMEN IN

LEADERSHIP POSITIONS

Gender of leadership was noted for the three highest positions (typically president, vice president and

secretary). This indicator in considered satisfied if at least one of these positions is filled by a woman.


Of 88 reporting structures, 60 (68%) had a woman in at least one position of leadership. Of these 60,

14 had two women in positions of leadership and three were all women. Note however, that of the 43

with only one woman, 16 of these had women as secretaries indicating perhaps that parity in leadership

may be lacking.

Once again, Butembo and Kananga have the most women in leadership while South Kivu, and Mbuji Mayi

have the least.

INDICATOR 20: NUMBER OF SUPPORTED ETDS SHOWING IMPROVEMENT IN THE

LEVEL OF SATISFACTION OF RESIDENTS WITH QUALITY OF LOCAL SERVICES

The data came from the GeoPoll survey. Calculations in this report are based on the August 2020

survey compared to the May 2019 survey as they are approximately a year apart. It is also calculated as

the average of four services: health, education, roads and markets.

Only five ETDs were available in this survey as shown in the chart below, which is why the percentage

accomplished is appears low. It will be supplemented next year with the perception survey to get data

from more ETDs. Additionally, there were challenges with the health and education portions of the


survey as they were not adequately targeted to the coverage areas for health centers and schools where

the project has interventions prior to the August 2020 survey.

Results are as follows:

Ngweshe Kabare Kolwezi Likasi Katuba Kadutu

Health 10% 6% 5% -2% 14% 0%

Education 9% 30% -4% 3% 0% 7%

Roads -2% 16% 12% 7% 8% 2%

Markets -4% 10% 2% -2% 0% -4%

Average

satisfaction

with services

4% 16% 3% 1% -22% 2%

Kabare shows the greatest improved satisfaction and Katuba the least4. In general individuals showed

most improved satisfaction for roads and least for markets. Both health and education showed

relatively good improvements (note the caveat above).

INDICATOR 21: NUMBER OF SUPPORTED ETDS WHERE THE LEVEL OF PUBLIC TRUST

OF THE LOCAL GOVERNMENT HAS INCREASED OVER THE PAST YEAR

Similar to the above, the indicator results are based on the GeoPoll surveys year over year. It is also

limited to the same five ETDs and will be supplemented next year with the perception survey.

This indicator is however calculated by a proxy, that is, the degree to which the population feels that

corruption is a problem. It is assumed that the population’s degree of public trust has an inverse

relationship with their perception of corruption. Therefore, the means are recalculated to reflect this

4 Note that the average satisfaction rate is not the average of the averages but rather the average of the total satisfaction score across the four

factors from one year to the next.

-10%

-5%

0%

5%

10%

15%

20%

25%

30%

35%


% Change in Satisfaction of Services

health education roads markets


inverse relationship. In doing so the change year over year, as a percentage improvement in public trust

(by proxy), is as follows:


6% 55% 14% 0% 16% 0%

It should be noted that none showed a negative tendency and, indeed, four of the six show quite a

positive change in trust. It should also be noted that Kabare once again has the most improvement as it

did with satisfaction of services.

INDICATOR 24: NUMBER OF SUPPORTED ETDS DEMONSTRATING IMPROVEMENT IN 3

OF 5 PUBLIC FINANCIAL MANAGEMENT FACTORS

The five factors contributing to this indicator are:

1. Percent of local taxes collected against projections compared to previous year

2. Local revenue compared to the previous year

3. Budget execution rate compared to the previous year

4. ETD expenditures compared to the previous year

5. Allocation of local resources to service delivery compared to the previous year

The score is calculated by assigning one point for each factor that increases. Note that this should be

the first year that the ETDs are allocating funds to service delivery and had not done so in previous

years, so it is not part of this year’s calculations.

There were 17 ETDs that could be compared as work has started with them in the previous years. The

results are as follows:

Factor > 1 2 3 4 TOTAL

HK Katuba 12% 1 34% 1 2% 1 44% 1 4

HK Likasi 21% 1 133% 1 16% 1 104% 1 4

KC Kananga (comm) 49% 1 303% 1 17% 1 67% 1 4

KC Kananga (ville) 32% 1 85% 1 25% 1 47% 1 4

KC Katoka 227% 1 503% 1 75% 1 292% 1 4

KC Lukonga -28%

-56%

5% 1 0%

1

KC Ndesha 160% 1 342% 1 8% 1 41% 1 4

KC Nganza 10% 1 29% 1 11% 1 29% 1 4

KO Bakwa Kalonji -15%

-25%

12% 1 70% 1 2

KO Bipemba -18%

0%

0%

27% 1 1

KO Dibindi -23%

-56%

0%

9% 1 1

KO Kabala -3%

24% 1 2% 1 61% 1 3

Lua Kolwezi -23%

-54%

-23%

-34%

0

NK Wanianga 11% 1 1626% 1 6% 1 969% 1 4

SK Kabare 13% 1 162% 1 6% 1 34% 1 4

SK Kadutu 14% 1 17% 1 12% 1 13% 1 4

SK Ngweshe 2% 1 34% 1 8% 1 22% 1 4

Total ETDs

11

12

14

15


Almost all did well in improving their Public Financial Management scores with eleven increasing across

all four factors. The least performing factor is the tax collection rate and showing more improvement is

needed on planning tax projections.

Note that factors 2 and 4 have quite extreme variations which would seem to indicate that the taxes

collected and the expenditures are not dependable from year to year. This is not surprising given the

context and is borne out by anecdotal evidence.

Although not in this table, the budget execution rates (3) and tax collection rates (1) are generally quite

low. This is likely due to unrealistic planning. Nonetheless as the table does show, both of these rates

did increase year over year for most ETDs thus showing some improvement in planning even if not yet

optimal.

The map indicates that it is the Mbuji Mayi area that has the most difficulty.


EITI INDICATORS

These indicators are for selected ETDs receiving mining royalties, specifically Bayeke in Haut Katanga,

Kibali and Logo-Ogambi in Haut Uele:

Indicator Type FY20 Result FY20 Target

Strengthened capacity of ETDs to conduct

transparent and accountable PFM (planning,

budgeting, financial management and monitoring

and audit)

persons 44 50

% of mining revenues that are used to improve

public service delivery at the local level. percent 100 100

Strengthened capacity of civil society

organizations (CSOs) to actively engage in

participatory and multi-sectoral planning,

budgeting and review processes.

persons 63 50

(DR.4-1) number of USG-supported activities

designed to promote or strengthen the civic

participation of women5

number 0

5 See Indicator 5 above


EVALUATION/ASSESSMENT STATUS AND/OR PLANS

The following table presents the evaluations and assessments conducted in FY20 (including those ongoing from previous years) along with

planned assessments.

ASSESSMENT TYPE DATE STATUS

Assessments of provincial and sub-provincial health

and education agencies (DPS; IPS; HZs; PROVED;

IPP; Sous-PROVED; Inspool).

2018

2019

Mar-Sep 2020

continuing into FY21

FY18: South Kivu (Kadutu, Ngweshe, Kabare), Haut Katanga (Likasi, Katuba),

Lualaba (Kolwezi), Kasai Oriental (Dibindi, Bipemba, Bakwa Kalonji, Kabala),

Kinshasa (Masina)

FY19: Kasaï Central (Ville of Kananga, Communes of Kananga, Katoka, Lukonga,

Ndesha and Nganza)

FY20 (for selected entities):

• North Kivu (Bulegera, Kimeni, Mususa, Vulamba, Butembo, Baswagha.

• South Kivu (Kaziba, Luhwindja, Buhavu, Burhinyi, Luindi, Bagira)

• Haut Katanga (Kampemba, Lufira, Basanga, Bukanda)

• Lualaba (Bayeke)

Assessments of health centers and health and

education facility co-management/oversight

structures.

2018

2019

Mar-Sep 2020




Kinshasa (Masina)


Ndesha and Nganza)

FY20:

• North Kivu (Bulegera, Kimeni, Mususa, Vulamba, Butembo , Baswagha.




Baseline financial and management assessments of

target ETDs.

2018

2019

Mar-Sep 2020




Kinshasa (Masina)

FY19: Kasaï Central (Communes of Kananga, Katoka, Lukonga, Ndesha and

Nganza; Kananga), Nord Kivu (Wanianga)

FY20:

• North Kivu (Bulegera, Kimeni, Mususa, Vulamba, Butembo, Baswagha)


• Haut Katanga (Kampemba)



• Haut Uele (Logo Ogambi, Kibali)

Mapping of community structures and assessments of

community dynamics.

2018

2019

2020

2021

FY18: South Kivu (Kadutu, Ngweshe, Kabare), Haut Katanga (Likasi , Katuba),


Kinshasa (Masina)


Ndesha and Nganza)

Completed in FY20:

• North Kivu (Bulegera, Kimeni, Mususa, Vulamba, Butembo , Baswagha)


• Haut Katanga (Likasi – second round), (Kampemba, Lufira, Basanga,

Bukanda)

• Lualaba (Kolwezi – second round)

• Kasai Oriental (Dibindi, Bipemba, Bakwa Kalonji – second round)

• Kasaï Central (Communes of Kananga, Katoka, Lukonga, Ndesha and

Nganza; Kananga – second round)

FY21: will be carried out in all 40 ETDs as needed

Community awareness and perceptions of local

health and education services and community co-

management/oversight mechanisms (neighborhood

focus groups).

2018

2019

20216



Kinshasa (Masina)


Ndesha and Nganza)

Planned FY21: will be carried out for the 22 new ETDs as needed

Knowledge and perception surveys Starting in Jan 20217 Using a new sampling methodology (LQAS) and a simplified survey format, rapid

surveys will be carried out in previous ETDs to improve and fine-tune data and

will be extended to the new ETDs

Assessments of local (ETD-level) CSOs/NGOs. 2018

2019

Mar-Sep 2020




Kinshasa (Masina)


Ndesha and Nganza)

FY20:

• North Kivu (Bulegera, Kimeni , Mususa, Vulamba, Butembo , Baswagha.

6 Delayed due to confinement

7 Delayed due to confinement






Change data and identification of Most Significant

Changes

Started in May 2019,

will continue on an

on-going basis

A new tool to collect data on changes in organizations due to project

interventions was developed and adapted in FY19. As part of the methodology,

on-going evaluations of supported structures by field and national staff will

discern significant changes. Final adjustments will be made in FY20 and will

continue until the end of the project

Study to identify potential PPPs 2020 Haut Katanga, Lualaba, Butembo

GeoPoll Mobile Phone Survey Jan 2018 onwards Surveys completed and results released in October 2018, June and October 2019

and August 2020

Impact Evaluation (NORC) Jan 2018-Sep 2019 Second (final) surveys completed in September 2019. Report expected in Y4

Home Office Internal DQA Sep-Oct 2019

June 2021

A Home Office DQA specialist began a DQA in September 2019 to provide

advice on M&E systems; completed in November 2019.

It is anticipated that a second one will take place prior to next year’s USAID

DQA to verify progress

Project Internal DQA Starting Dec 2020

and quarterly

thereafter

When M&E staff will be complete, a quarterly process will be established to do

internal DQAs in the field offices, probably using a selective sampling method

USAID DQA Oct-Nov 2019;

Approx. Aug 2021

Planned

Civil Society Organization evaluation FY2021 Subsequent to observations from change log data collection, significant

differences were noted between various partner CSOs. An ad hoc assessment of

the factors contributing to these differences and their potential impact on project

objectives, including sustainability, will be carried out by an external consultant


CHALLENGES & LESSONS LEARNED

CHALLENGES

Challenges during this period included the following:

1. The COVID-19 pandemic affected the planning of activities as well as the mobility of experts and

staff as a result of quarantine in Gombe / Kinshasa for three months and constraints imposed by

the government for interprovincial travel.

2. The persistent lack of political support at the national level of the methods and processes put in

place by the project in the ETDs.

3. Insufficient human resources skills in local public institutions and structures.

4. The non-effectiveness of decentralization which has an impact on management in ETDs.

LESSONS LEARNED

Despite the above challenges, IGA notes the below lessons learned:

1. The pandemic made it possible to highlight the adaptive capacity of the IGA project (national

and provincial teams) in carrying out the project activities despite constraints

2. The ability of IGA partners to adapt to the context of the pandemic by observing the conditions

for participation in IGA activities, taking into account the health protocol imposed by the

Government.


ANNEXES

ANNEX A. COMMUNICATION AND OUTREACH MESSAGES

ANNEX B. TECHNICAL MATERIALS

ANNEX C. SUCCESS STORIES

ANNEX D. RESERVED

ANNEX E. GIS DATA

1. Base: collectivite_communes_IGA3.zip contains 7 files to map ETDs assisted by IGA. (Also,

collectivite_communes_IGA3.lyr for layer mapping).

2. ETDs: IGA_Assisted_Areas.xlsx - (Excel file to map 40 IGA-assisted ETDs with join to #1)

Also, 36 IGA Assisted Areas.lyr and 4 Villes Areas (red labels).lyr for layer mapping.

3. Structures: IGA_Assisted_Structures.xlsx - (Excel file to map IGA-assisted structures with join

to #1). Also IGA Assisted Structures.lyr for layer mapping.

4. HZs: RDC_sante_zones_200709.zip contains 7 files to map HZs. The file assisted ETDs and

HZs.xlsx shows 63 HZs overlapping with ETDs assisted by IGA (most of which have already

received some assistance and some that could potentially receive assistance). Also,

RDC_sante_zones_200709.lyr and IGA ETDs and HZs.lyr for layer mapping.

5. Optional:

a. IGA Assisted ETDs with inset maps.docx (screenshots of IGA-assisted ETDs)

b. IGA assisted structures and inset maps.docx (screenshots of IGA-assisted structures)

c. IGA Assisted ETDs and HZs.docx (screenshots of IGA-assisted HZs)

We are planning our own future


m

Nous planifions

Programme de gouvernance intégrée

notre propre avenir

Results of GeoPoll’s first targeted surveys of schools and health

centers

A new method of direct sampling was finalized in June 2020, and the results of the first such survey

are now available. A revision to the sampling method was due to the fact that there was a relatively

small chance that respondents to the previous samples (of the surveys taken in February and

October 2018 and May 2019) were users of USAID IGA supported facilities. To get results from the

actual users, it was decided to request the facilities concerned to supply the phone numbers of the

parents and patients as the case might be.

During July and August 2020 GeoPoll used these phone numbers to conduct interviews by phone.

The level of cooperation from the facilities was very high, though the level of response received

from the parents/patients varied.

These results are not comparable with previous surveys in that the samples are different.

Satisfaction with the quality of the school

The chart below aggregates the percentage expressing themselves satisfied or very satisfied with the

performance of their school. It shows the generally high level of satisfaction is remarkable, and

creditable.

On the right side of the chart (and the others below) the section outlined in red data shows the data

classified by the provider of the service – Government, Faith-Based, or Private. The same system has

been used in all other charts below.

In this instance, faith-based and private schools scored higher than their government counterparts,

but it is remarkable that there is so little difference between them.

The chart comparing progress since last year gives, perhaps, another view of the performance. It

shows a remarkably consistent level of improvement since the last year which can be attributed, at

least in part, to the support given by USAID IGA.

It is interesting to note that the government schools in this distance did better than faith-based. This

can be attributed to support by USAID IGA,

0.00%10.00%20.00%30.00%40.00%50.00%60.00%70.00%80.00%90.00%

100.00%

Satisfied and very satisfied with the quality of the school

Unofficial payments

One of the surprise results of the results below is the fact that the unofficial payments are seen as so

much more serious in private schools. Possibly this is due to the expectation that having paid private

fees there should be no need for anything else – unlike in Government schools where such

requirements are no surprise.

How serious is the problem?

In this question it is noteworthy that the problem is less in faith-based schools.

0.00%

10.00%

20.00%

30.00%

40.00%

50.00%

60.00%

70.00%

80.00%

Service a little better or much better than last year

0%5%

10%15%20%25%30%35%40%45%

At your child's school, is there a problem of parents being asked to give additional (unofficial)

payments (% responding "yes")

Attitude

The scores regarding attitude are generally favorable, but the results do not reflect very well on

government schools.

0.00%10.00%20.00%30.00%40.00%50.00%60.00%70.00%80.00%90.00%

100.00%

How serious is the problem of unfficial payments in your school?

% of respondents saying serious or very serious

0.00%

10.00%

20.00%

30.00%

40.00%

50.00%

60.00%

70.00%

Percentage rating the attitude of the staff good or very good

Buildings

Not surprisingly the standard of the school buildings has been a matter of concern, particularly in

the government schools. It is this poor standard that has stimulated community action following

USAID IGA’s Score Card workshops.

Books

In spite of ACCELERE! 1’s massive school books program, the result below is very disappointing. It is

not clear from the below whether the problem is to do with the number or the range of subjects of

textbooks.

0.00%

10.00%

20.00%

30.00%

40.00%

50.00%

60.00%

70.00%

80.00%

Percentage of respondents stating condition of school buildings is good

0.00%

10.00%

20.00%

30.00%

40.00%

50.00%

60.00%

70.00%

Availability of books is good or very good

The table below is the mean of the mean scores achieved in each sampled ETD.

Best to worst schools, by mean scores

Katoka 3.82

Likasi 3.71

Katoka 3.58

Kabare 3.52

Kadutu 3.50

Ndesha 3.48

Bakwa Kalonji 3.41

Kolwezi 3.39

Ngweshe 3.39

Bipemba 3.14

Health

Satisfaction

The first two questions relate to the service received. Considering well-known deficiencies in the

public health system, the satisfaction level is surprisingly high.

The chart below reflects the positive impact of USAID IGA: the response for Kolwezi and Katuba

are particularly good.

0%

20%

40%

60%

80%

100%

120%

Very satisfied and quite satisfied with service at health center

0%

10%

20%

30%

40%

50%

60%

70%

Health center service a little better or much better than last year

Waiting time

The table below is evidence that service at the health centers is relatively prompt.

Extortion and extra payments

The fact that so many respondents consider that there is a serious or very serious problem of extra

payments is a matter of great concern.

0%10%20%30%40%50%60%70%80%90%

100%

Percentage waiting less than 30 minutes at health center

0%

20%

40%

60%

80%

100%

120%

Health centers demanding extra payments: percentage of respondents stating it as a serious

or very serious problem

Attitude

By contrast with the negative views about extra payments, the chart below gives a relatively

favorable view of the attitude of the staff, with only three ETDs scoring less than 50%.

Buildings

As with schools, the state of buildings is poor, with the rural ETDs scoring particularly badly.

0%10%20%30%40%50%60%70%80%90%

100%

Staff with good or very good attitude at health center

0%

10%

20%

30%

40%

50%

60%

70%

80%

Health center in a good state

Medicine supply

The poor supply chain for medicines is a matter of great concern. USAID IGA has been working

with IHP and health zones to try and address the matter.

Satisfaction with service

It is interesting to note that this chart is very similar to the one above, and may demonstrate that

the supply of medicines is a major factor in patient satisfaction.

0%

10%

20%

30%

40%

50%

60%

70%

Medicine availability is good or very good

0%

10%

20%

30%

40%

50%

60%

70%

80%

90%

100%

Good or very good service at health center

Political and Economic Analysis of the Management of Health and Education in North and South Kivu

Parfait Moukoko and Francis Buhendwa

October 2020


i

DISCLAIMER

The authors’ views expressed in this publication do not necessarily reflect the views of the United States Agency for International Development or the United States Government.

ii

Contents 1. Introduction .................................................................................................................... 1

1.1 Context, objectives and fields of intervention .......................................................... 1

1.2 Methodology ........................................................................................................... 2

1.3 Constraints and challenges ..................................................................................... 3

2. Decentralization of Health .............................................................................................. 4

2.1. Structures, major players and influences ................................................................ 4

2.1.1 The Ministry of Public Health ........................................................................... 4

2.1.2 Secretary General of Health (SGS) .................................................................. 5

2.1.3 Inspector General for Health (IGS) ................................................................... 7

2.2. South Kivu .............................................................................................................. 9

2.3. North Kivu ............................................................................................................. 11

3. Decentralization of Education....................................................................................... 13

3.1 Structures, major players and influences .............................................................. 13

3.1.1 The Ministry of Primary, Secondary and Technical Education (EPST) ........... 13

3.1.2 The Secretary General of EPST and PROVEDs ............................................ 13

3.1.3 The Inspector General of EPST, the Main Provincial Inspectors (IPP) and the Pool Inspectors (INSPOOL) ................................................................................................. 14

3.1.4 SECOPE ............................................................................................................. 15

3.2 South Kivu ................................................................................................................. 15

3.3 North Kivu .................................................................................................................. 17

4. Provincial Governments and ETDs .............................................................................. 21

4.1 South Kivu ............................................................................................................ 21

4.2 North Kivu ............................................................................................................. 23

4.2.1 Special case of the FEC - North Kivu ............................................................. 25

5. Provincial assemblies................................................................................................... 27

5.1 Background ............................................................................................................... 27

5.2 Weaknesses and constraints ..................................................................................... 27

5.3 Strengths and opportunities .................................................................................. 28

5.4 Relationship between National Legislature and the Provincial Assemblies ................ 29

5.4.1 National Assembly .............................................................................................. 29

5.4.2 The Senate ......................................................................................................... 29

6. Civil society ..................................................................................................................... 30

6.1 National level ............................................................................................................. 30

6.2 South Kivu ................................................................................................................. 31

6.3 North Kivu .................................................................................................................. 32

6.4 Beneficiaries and service providers ....................................................................... 32

7. Sectoral analysis ............................................................................................................. 33

iii

7.1. Health ....................................................................................................................... 33

7.1.1 Health providers .................................................................................................. 33

7.1.2 Communities/beneficiaries .................................................................................. 33

7.2 Education .................................................................................................................. 35

7.2.1. Education providers ........................................................................................... 35

7.2.2. Communities/beneficiaries ................................................................................. 35

8. Conclusions ................................................................................................................. 36

8.1 Overview ................................................................................................................... 36

8.2 Findings ................................................................................................................ 37

8.2.1 Provincial assemblies .......................................................................................... 37

8.2.2 Provincial government ................................................................................... 37

8.2.3 Technical services ......................................................................................... 37

8.2.4 Local government and civil society ................................................................. 37

8.3 Recommendations ................................................................................................ 38

Annexes

Annex 1: Major actors and level of power and influence…………………………………….40

Annex 2: Guides for interviews with individuals and focus groups………………………....45

Annex 3: Bibliography………………………………………………………………………..….54

iv

Acronyms

BIC Office of Inspection and Control (Bureau d’Inspection et Contrôle)

CAC Community Animation Committees (Comités d’Animation communautaire)

CEDECO

Centre for Support of Community Education and Development (Centre d’Appui à l’Education et au Développement Communautaire)

CODESA

Committee for development of the health area (Comité de Développement de l'aire de Santé)

CONEPT National Coalition of Education for All (Coalition Nationale de l’Education pour Tous)

CTAD

Technical unit to support decentralization (Cellule Technique d’Appui à la Décentralisation)

CVCRP

Monitoring and Public Accountability Committees within all provincial ETDs in the Education sector (Comités de Veille et de Redevabilité Publique dans le secteur de l’Education)

DGDA

General Directorate of Customs and Excise, (Direction Générale des Douanes et Accises)

DGI General Tax Directorate (Direction Générale des Impôts)

DGRAD

Directorate in Charge of Non-tax Revenue Administration (Direction Générale des Recettes Administratives et Domaniales)

DIPROSEC SECOPE Provincial Directorate (Direction Provinciale du SECOPE)

EPSP

Ministry of Primary, Secondary and Vocational Education (Ministère de l’Enseignement Primaire, Secondaire et Professionnelle)

EPST

The Ministry of Primary, Secondary and Technical Education (Ministre de l’Enseignement Primaire Secondaire et Technique)

EXETAT State examinations (Examens d’Etat)

FEC Federation of Enterprises of Congo (Fédération des Entreprises du Congo)

FPAM Vocational Training, Arts and Crafts (Formation Professionnelle, Arts et Métiers)

GIZ

German International Cooperation (Deutsche Gesellschaft für Internationale Zusammenarbeit)

IGS Inspector General of Health, (Inspecteur Général de la Santé)

IHP Integrated Health Project

IPP Provincial primary inspector (Inspecteur primaire provincial)

IPS Provincial Inspectors of Health (Inspecteur Provincial de la Santé)

IT Head nurse (Infirmier titulaires)

MCZ Chief Medical Officer (Médecin Chef de Zone)

PBG Programme de Bonne Gouvernance

PPDS Provincial Health Development Plan (Plan Provincial de Développement sanitaire)

PPP Public private partnerships (Partenariats public-privé)

PROVED Provincial Education Directorate (Province Educationnelle)

RACID

Citizens’ Action Network for Development (Réseau d’Action Citoyenne pour le Développement)

RECO Community networks (Relais communautaires)

REGIDESO Water Distributrion Authority (Regie de Distribution d'Eau)

SECOPE Service of Control and Pay of Teachers (Service de Contrôle et de la Paie des Enseignants)

SERNIE National Service for identification of pupils (Service national d'identification de l'élève)

SGS Secretary General of Health (Secrétaire Général de la Santé)

SNEL National Electricity Company (Société Nationale d'Électricité)

v

Sous-PROVED Sub-Provincial Education Directorate (Sous Province Educationnelle)

TENAFEP National End of Primary Studies Test (Test National de Fin d’Etudes Primaires)

1

1. Introduction

This report is the third in a series of studies initiated by the Integrated Governance Activity (IGA) of USAID implemented by DAI since 2017 and was undertaken as input to the planning of the fifth year of the IGA project.

1.1 Context, objectives and fields of intervention

The political and economic context of the DRC is very often volatile and subject to change or reversals. This study aims to identify issues that can guide the programmatic interventions in a targeted manner and assist in the formulation of activities to be implemented under the USAID Integrated Governance Activity.

USAID IGA, implemented in the context of the decentralization reform as a new mode of state management in the DRC, aims to create the framework for good governance and strengthen the local capacity necessary for the improvement of service delivery in the areas of health, education and economic growth.

Its objectives are to:

• Strengthen the capacity of target government institutions to effectively fulfill their respective mandates;

• Strengthen collaboration between target provincial and local entities with citizens for more effective development;

• Respond to citizen demands for responsible, transparent and participatory service delivery

USAID IGA aims to work with the government of the DRC and civil society at the national, provincial and local levels.

However, the volatile political context before 2018, particularly within national and provincial government institutions, led the IGA to focus its interventions at the local level with a view to achieving its expected results, as had been recommended by a PEA then carried out by Integrity.

This PEA assesses the performance of the new authorities establishing following the election in 2019. This included the national level (a new President, a new National Assembly, a new Senate, and a new central government) and provincial level (new provincial Governors, provincial assemblies and new provincial governments).

Nord and Sud Kivu were selected for study as USAID has recently increasingly focused its assistance on the east of the country, and USAID IGA has recently expanded its coverage from one to eight ETDs in North Kivu and from three to nine in South Kivu.


• Analyze the dynamics and interactions between the main and new centers of political power (at provincial level) and technical and financial (national Kinshasa) affect the effectiveness of the institutions and decentralized bodies in the areas of education and health. It involved in particular identifying the niches where the interventions and support of the IGA Program are likely to make these structures more effective in the education and health sectors.

• Identify national and provincial actors favorable to public policy reform including increased accountability and transparency in the management of public services.

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• Also document the ideas and initiatives of IGA project partners to support these positive changes.

The design stage of the study started with formulation of the tools, recruitment of consultants and business planning before proper research (desk and field) started on July 15. Field work was completed on September 23, 2020. This was followed by analysis and writing of the first draft that was completed on October 6.

The research team started by meeting national level institutions and administrations in Kinshasa, following which it went South and North Kivu, particularly in the cities of Bukavu, Goma and Butembo.

This team consisted of the principal researcher (a staff member of IGA), a national consultant and three provincial consultants: one in Bukavu, one in Goma and another in Butembo. This team benefited from the multifaceted support of the provincial IGA project teams in Bukavu and Butembo.

1.2 Methodology

The methodology included a literature review, and qualitative surveys though semi -structured questionnaires and focus groups. The literature review included an analysis of official documents, scientific articles, regulatory and legal texts.

With regard to semi-structured individual interviews, questionnaires were designed as data collection tools according to the categories of people interviewed.

These included:

• Senior administrative and technical officers in national Ministries (Secrétaires Généraux of the Ministry of Public Health and the Ministry of Primary, Secondary and Technical Education, Inspecteurs Généraux of health and education and Directors of technical and specialized services).

• Provincial Ministers of Finance, Budget, Planning, Health and Education • Heads of provincial divisions of health (DPS), education, (PROVED), the

medical directors of health zones (MCZ) and the heads of educational Sub-Provinces (Sous-PROVED),

• Mayors of the cities visited • Senators and Deputies of the National Assembly. • Managers and staff of major civil society umbrella organizations involved in or

aspiring to conduct civic involvement programs in the field of governance sectors of health, education and public finance at both the national and provincial level.

Regarding the focus groups, these followed two specific interview guides: one for communities, specifically the users of health and education services; the other for providers of these services. They were developed not only to cross-check information obtained during individual interviews, but also to collect and analyze their perceptions, understanding and analysis of the issues and challenged of decentralization in which they act either as providers of public service of health or of education in the structures and decentralized entities whose effectiveness is under analysis , or as recipients of said services to and engaged citizens control and demand to policy makers the effective and efficient performance of this reform.

Eight focus groups were held in each of the two provinces of South and North Kivu. Four ETDs were selected, (Kadutu (urban) and Bagira (rural/urban) in Sud Kivu, and Kimemi (urban) and Bulengera (rural/urban) in Butembo).

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There were two thematic areas, namely health and education, and two focus groups for each (users and service providers), thus making a total of four focus groups per ETD.

Each focus group consisted of 12 persons (selected to be heterogeneous and including as many men as women).

1.3 Constraints and challenges

The research mission did not experience any major constraints or obstruction, except that the time allowed for the study, due to the urgency, was rather short considering the need to collect, document and analyze data obtained at both national and provincial level.

The unavailability of some national deputies and senators in Kinshasa, as well as provincial assembly deputies, because of parliamentary holidays, created scheduling difficulties. As a result some interviews were carried out under stressful conditions a few moments before departure for the port or airport in Bukavu and Goma.

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2. Decentralization of Health

2.1. Structures, major players and influences

2.1.1 The Ministry of Public Health

The structure of the national public health system in the DRC is pyramidal with three levels: national, intermediate or provincial and peripheral or operation in accordance with the Law No. 18/35 of 13 December 2018 laying down the fundamental principles governing the organization of the Public Health. This law is part of the ongoing comprehensive reform of Public Administration in the DRC.

Remarkably, this law makes no reference to the system already in place under the current decentralization process for over ten years, with provincial ministers of health and ETDs to, in principle, ensure the administrative supervision and policy of health areas locally.

This situation can also be explained by the fact that the two reforms are being carried out in parallel, without the initiators grasping the need for harmonization that would result in greater efficiency of the decentralized agencies, health being a matter essentially falling under the competence of the provinces and ETDs.

In spite of certain inaccuracies and the possibly deliberate omission of the Public Health Act, this Act determines the nature of the dynamics between various actors involved in the above three levels. In practice, these range from collaboration, to allegations questioning the commitment of one or the other agency to decentralization, to mistrust, suspicion and conflict. This affects the functioning and efficiency of decentralized agencies.

This mistrust and conflict is explained not only by the centralization reflexes of central authorities but also by the lack of ownership of the decentralization process by both the public administration and the population, due, in part by a lack of popularization and dissemination of the principles.

Among provincial governments and agencies there is a tendency to protest and to enforce, so to speak, the rights and duties conferred by the Constitution and the laws on decentralization as well as the decentralized status of their institutions, at the risk of creating conflicts with actors at the national level and the decentralized services.

In terms of the law establishing the fundamental principles governing the organization of Public Health "the central level includes the Minister having health as his attributions, the Secretary-General and the Inspector General of Health” (Article 7). The office-holders at this level define the main orientations of the national health policy. They issue directives, standards and intervention strategies.

"The intermediate or provincial level is responsible for the coordination, support, guidance, control, supervision, monitoring and evaluation of all activities of health under its jurisdiction. It ensures the application of the health policy, directives, standards and national health strategies.” (Article 8).

Following this provision, although it would have been the appropriate place, the Act does not cite the major actors at this level such as the Head of the Provincial Health Division, the Provincial Inspector of Health, the provincial counterparts of the Secretary General of Health (SGS) and the Inspector General of Health (IGS), expressly mentioned in the previous provision. The Provincial Minister "having health in his duties” under the supervision of the Provincial Governor is not mentioned although he is supposed to interact with these stakeholders on issues of health in the province. We can understand in the following sections of this report the

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underlying reasons for these omissions, for a law initiated and designed at the central level.

"The mission of the peripheral or operational level is the implementation of primary care health strategy. It includes the Zones de Santé and Aires de Santé (Article 9).

This provision is properly completed by Article 10 which states that "a health zone consists of the Central Bureau of Health Zone, the General Reference Hospital, Health Centers, Health Posts, including other public and private health facilities under its jurisdiction ".

2.1.2 Secretary General of Health (SGS)

At national level, the two major structures of the Ministry of Health, namely the Secretary General of Health (SGS) and the Inspector General of Health (IGS) claim to officially interact in a collaborative and complementary in support of their hierarchical authority, the Minister of Health, with regard to their respective mandates.

The current National Minister, Dr André Eteni Longondo, is a senior executive of the UDPS, the party of the President of the Republic, Felix Tshisekedi to whom he is very close. Generalist and specialist in Public Health who studied at the University of Kinshasa and the University of Washington State (Seattle) before serving in international organizations in Africa, he has rich experience and expertise of the issues and problems of public health in the DRC. He succeeded Dr Oly Ilunga, a defector to one of the dissident wings of the same party before being convicted and imprisoned for financial embezzlement.

The Ministry of Health is one of the Ministries that receive international support over many years in the fight against endemic diseases, epidemics and pandemics that have severely shaken the DRC for over two decades.

Since his appointment the Minister of Health has maintained the same Secretary General1 and Inspector General of Health.

Some observers note that since the Minister has retained the SGS and IGS in the management of their respective structures, there is, and will remain, a reluctance to address decentralization of the health sector. This situation explains the persistence of the problems posed by the implementation of this reform and the impression of stagnation in progress in the sector.

It should also be noted, certainly in his defense, that he took up his post as Minister of Health a year ago in the context of a health crisis relating to the Ebola virus disease before the start of the Covid-19 pandemic that is still ongoing.

However, given significant funds put at the disposal of the Ministry by the Government and by the technical and financial partners in the fight against endemic diseases and pandemics, because of the nature priority challenges related to health, the Minister is not sufficiently influential to obtain the necessary financial allocations for the General Inspector of Health and its branches in the provinces, the IPS, which is discussed below in this report.

1 Since December 2018, the current Secretary General is the 6 th in this position since 2006. This indicates a remarkable instability at the General Secretariat over the past fourteen years, not always favorable for carrying out political, structural and systemic reforms.

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The Secretary General of Health is at the head of the unit of highest level of administrative management and coordination of administrative, design standards and strategies of the national health policy of the country. He issues opinions and gives guidance with regard to recruitment, staff management (appointment, promotion, sanction) and retirement.

The current Secretary General and his team have a very negative effect on the process of decentralization in the health sector. According to him, irreversible as it may be, decentralization is not “profitable” to the central administration whereas it should consist in "making the provinces accountable".

According to him, human and financial resources, equipment and infrastructure are managed in a “catastrophic” manner. A “clientelism” that has never been experienced before has established itself inasmuch as the heads of the Provincial Health Divisions are under strong pressure from the provincial deputies, who each want to have “their” Chief Medical Officer (MCZ), “their” head nurses (IT) for their constituency, necessarily for electoral purposes.

In principle, for appointments at local level, the Head of the DPS makes proposals to the Secretary General, who subsequently provides guidance. However, for some time now, the Secretary-General has been faced with a fait accompli in the face of the situation on the ground, which he no longer controls. Recruitment and assignment of personnel are in fact organized at the provincial level through the provincial Ministry of Health without referring to General Secretariat in Kinshasa for guidance or relevant guidelines.

Posts are advertised and appointments made without considering established standards due to the "terrible" interference of MPs and provincial governors of provinces in the affairs of the DPS.

Currently, contrary to proper procedures, around ten heads of provincial health divisions are suspended by the provincial governors, who, as a result, have appointed interim heads of the DPS. The challenges of the Secretary General have not been taken into account by the provincial governors concerned.

These suspended Heads of Divisions were already in office long before the election of the current Governors of the 26 provinces in April 2019.

In reality, this situation also stems from the highly politicized process of recruiting the Heads of Provincial Health Divisions.

Indeed, the recruitment of the top part of the health administration is organized by the General Secretariat teams came from Kinshasa. It is done by competitive examination with the requirement for the preselection "to be from the province for which you are a candidate", in addition to other technical and professional conditions.

And at the end of the competition, the Provincial Governor establishes his order of preference of the three best candidates admitted on a discretionary basis. Then, it is up to the National Minister of Health, by decree, to appoint the head of the Provincial Health Division selected.

Under these conditions, it creates links of dependence, political influence are necessarily obligatory connivance of the head of DPS thus appointed vis-à- vis the Governor of the Province until it is no longer so.

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The other object of misunderstanding consists in the fact that for the Secretary General of Health, a Head of the Provincial Health Division is “an agent” directly dependent on him but “placed at the disposal of the Provincial Governor”.

By contrast, the provincial health ministers (that the Secretary General consider "redundant” compared to the functions of Head of DPS) consider the DPS as under their direct supervision, on whom they must report to the Provincial Governor. This complicates relations between the Head of DPS and the provincial Minister of Health that the Secretary General of Health considers merely "a political advisor to the Governor".

This indicates a large and divisive confusion about the respective roles of the Provincial Minister of Health and head of the DPS and his or her staff.

The Secretary General noted with regret that the central level administration "has no control of the provinces".

2.1.3 Inspector General for Health (IGS)

The IGS, for its part, has a mandate to contribute to the improvement of governance and accountability, and ensure the proper functioning of the control and performance of structures / organs and services of the Ministry of Health.

To this end, the IGS has the main functions of investigating and detecting irregularities and infringements; to inspect and control the conformity and legality of administrative, legal, legal and medico-technical acts of central, provincial structures / services and health units with respect to the policies, laws and regulatory texts in force.

However, recently created and having no hierarchy except the National Minister of Public Health, the IGS2, some of whose responsibilities were formerly the responsibility of the internal services of the SGS, operates in an environment that is not always favorable if not hostile due to the fear generally inspired by “control and inspection” initiatives and actions among personnel of the Congolese public administration, in this case those relating to the public health services. And many staff of the General Secretariat have not yet understood that the IGS is entirely independent of SGS, it is now supposed to inspect.

Then, contrary to the enthusiasm and interest shown in his time by the National Minister of Health, Dr Oly Ilunga Kalenga, who obviously understood the importance and relevance of the IGS, the leadership of his successor and holder of the post since 2019, Dr André Eteni Longondo, displays a lack of political commitment to this service whose mandate is to contribute to the quality of services health and performance of the different structures of the ministry. The IGS does not enjoy sufficient support from its hierarchy in terms of the finances necessary to accomplish its mission and carry out the activities listed in its annual action plan.

However, the encouraging results of the IGS are often cited as a reference the detection of 33,000 fictitious staff who were improperly paid as members of the staff of the Ministry of Public Health.

Given its mandate, IGS has significant power with regard to accountability, and maintenance of professional and management good practices within the Ministry of Health. However, without the necessary support of the top echelons within the Ministry to provide it with the necessary human and financial resources, this

2 The IGS started its activities on April 1, 2017

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important institution has practically no influence. This negatively affects the effects of his mandate. Its recommendations are generally a dead letter for lack of strategies and significant means of coercion for their application and follow-up.

In addition to the problems faced by the central management of the IGS there are reasons for concern faced by the 26 Provincial Inspectors of Health (IPS) deployed in each of the country's provinces.

Despite the fact that Governors are elected by the Provincial Assembly, as head of the provincial executive all the provincial and national public services are placed under their authority3. As a decentralized service of the central government, the 26 Provincial Health Inspectors therefore believe that they should only report on their actions to the Provincial Governor who “represents the central government in the provinces”4

However, this posture is a source of conflict and misunderstanding with the provincial ministers of health who consider themselves short-circuited, bypassed by the IPS who claim to report directly to the Provincial Governors.

Thus, reluctantly, the IPS are obliged to go through the Provincial Minister of Health to meet or report to the provincial governors.

Another situation in the conflict-generating health system is the existence within the DPS of an "Office of Inspection and Control" (BIC) concomitantly with the presence of the Provincial Inspection of the Health. This duplication of the IPS creates conflicts when the agents of the two structures find themselves in the field inspecting and controlling the same structures at the same time. Authorities at the central level have not deigned to solve this problem, neither the National Minister, the SGS nor the IGS.

In addition, IPS’s principle of appointing "non-natives" of the province of assignment, intended to assure the independence and security of IPS in the face of political, economic and ethno-regional influences, turns out to be a factor of vulnerability. They find themselves the sole "non-native" agency, in a minority vis-a-vis the Provincial Governor, the Head of the Provincial Health Division and the Provincial Minister of Health, who all originate from the same province and thus tend to have the same acquaintances and political interests. This weakens the impact of IPS’s reports of their investigations and inspections.

This is an uncomfortable situation affecting the effectiveness of IPS that, "to survive " staff, at the risk of being expelled from the province or even threatened with death, are forced to "play the game" to conform, or to "write reports" rather than acting as "inspectors”.

In addition, it should be noted that the services of the IGS are not represented at the operational level of the pyramid of the DRC health system, namely the health zones where they could provide more effective coverage, and collaborate with civil society to oversee the quality of services and performance of the public institutions under their mandate.

3 Article 28 of Law 08/012 of July 31, 2008 on fundamental principles relating to the free administration of the provinces 4 Article 63 of Law 08/012 of July 31, 2008 on fundamental principles relating to the free administration of the provinces.

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2.2. South Kivu In a context marked by the recent dismissal of the DPS leader by the Provincial Governor, the interactions between the different actors in the health sector in South Kivu conflict are characterized by conflict and misunderstandings due to differences in interpretation of the mandates. This can be ascribed to the imprecision of certain provisions of the regulatory and legislative texts of the legislation in force.

In the absence of a definitive solution which would come from an initiative of the national authorities, as the problems identified are practically similar in all the provinces, the protagonists of South Kivu, who are particularly proactive, try to find solutions at the provincial level.

The jurisdictional conflict between the IPS and the DPS has its origins in the existence of the Office of Inspection and Control (BIC) within the DPS which broadly has the same responsibilities as the IPS, which is thus thwarted in its mandate to seek and detect irregularities, and to formulate corrective recommendations or sanctions. It has happened on several occasions that teams from both structures meet on the same ground for similar investigations with the same targets.

The DPS, for its part, presents the BIC as a structure intended to perform internal audits, whereas the IPS classifies its operations as an external audit. However, these arguments do not dispel the misunderstanding, and the conflict remains latent between the two structures (DPS and IPS).

At the initiative of the Provincial Minister a conciliation initiative had just been launched at the time of the study, with the help of a group of jurists who were analyzing all the legal texts and regulations governing the two structures, with the objective of finding common ground. The objective of this initiative is to help everyone to have the same understanding and interpretation of the texts governing them and to work in a spirit of complementarity.

In the meantime, the distribution of activities is done according to "common sense” to prevent the situation of tension from degenerating into open conflict, in the sense that "the DPS manages daily activities and the IPS conducts oversight ".

Another IPS frustration source is that since 2019 its recommendations to the DPS and the provincial governor, and generally neither answered, nor acted upon, except when it is politically sensitive as it was the case recently. This concerned Covid-19 funds in South Kivu: the Governor proved very attentive and receptive to the results of the investigation and subsequent recommendations of the IPS.

In addition, the fact that the IPS is officially recognized as "not originating" from the province makes it vulnerable as an outsider, since the Head of the DPS, the Governor of the Province and even the Provincial Minister of Health are all from the same province. The IPS thus claims to be “squeezed” between the three provincial authorities, especially when it comes to sensitive issues such as the conduct of investigations and controls.

An example of the IPS’s difficulty was when he disagreed verbally to the Governor’s Chief of Staff when he found that a final list of proposed members of the staff of the IPS, signed by the Governor, and sent for signature to the National Ministry of Health in Kinshasa, impossibly included names of the DPS officers, and some people who were not candidates.

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As a result, he came under vigorous questioning from the Governor's Chief of Staff, at the latter's request. Unfortunately the list was finally sent to National Ministry of Health that criticized the imperfections and defects.

In sum, lacking financial support by National Government, the South Kivu IPS receives financial support for its operations from donors such as GIZ, USAID IHP and the World Bank requiring oversight of their health facility projects.

For his part, the current Acting Head of the DPS who was very careful in discussions on these obviously sensitive issues, said he is caught between the hammer of the Secretary General of Health, which sees him as his representative "put at the disposal of the provincial governor ", and the anvil of the Provincial Minister of Health, for whom the DPS is his exclusive technical service in health which is, in turn, under article 204 of the Constitution, the exclusive responsibility of the province. Given the conditions of his appointment, he is a man in whom the Governor has confidence, contrary to the former Head of the DPS whom the Governor found in office in 2019.

In the same vein that the Sud-Kivu Provincial Minister of Health has tried unsuccessfully to also supervise the IPS who resists, considering himself as the representative of a decentralized service, which reports only to the Governor of the Province.

It is now established that no health service executive can meet the Provincial Governor without going through the Provincial Minister of Health, considered by the Secretary General and the Inspector General of Health as "a political advisor to the Governor” who " weighs down the system”.

Daily, he has to trick the two authorities so that neither of them feels affected by a blockage caused by the other. He is all the more embarrassed as he does not know exactly who is his under his command.

To survive in this uncomfortable situation, the head of the DPS takes care to share with the Provincial Minister all the instructions and directives received from the Secretary General of Health. The Minister is also recipient of all correspondence from Chef of the DPS in place of Secretary General of Health. And the latter is informed of tasks given to the head of the DPS by the Provincial Minister.

Sharing their experience, the DPS teams deplore the strong centralization of the central ministry in the implementation of activities. Indeed, although the teams are familiar with the Provincial Health Development Plan (PPDS), they are regularly obliged to wait for the outlines for the implementation of activities with directives coming from Kinshasa. The same applies to data collection tools, also printed in Kinshasa and sent to the provinces very often with delay.

Because of this centralization, shipments of these materials and tools are not well coordinated, for example documents and forms written in Chiluba instead of Kiswahili arrived in Bukavu. These inconveniences could have been avoided if these documents were printed on site in Bukavu, with less mailing costs.

The other challenge which the DPS in South Kivu is facing is the high politicization of recruitment of human resources at the areas of health zones and health centers. At the local level, in principle the recruitment of personnel is done at the provincial level on the basis of vacant posts in the management framework, identified by the doctor in charge of the health zones (MCZ), with the necessary qualifications. The MCZ’s request is submitted to the DPS, which in turn gives directions and its approval.

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Thus, although the DPS technically authorizes recruitments, for some time it has been the Provincial Governor, with his Provincial Minister of Health in charge. In effect it is they and no longer the technical services who are doing the recruiting, without regard to the required standards in this area. These recruitments are always done with the aim of satisfying a political clientele and for electoral purposes. Hence the strong politicization of the health system in the DRC.

2.3. North Kivu The Head of the DPS of North Kivu is in the good graces of the Governor and his Provincial Minister of Health. His 5-year mandate has already expired but he remains in office until the new incumbent is selected at the outcome of a competition.

In relation to decentralization, the provincial Minister of Health deplores the fact that the SGS takes initiatives involving North Kivu province through the Head of the DPS without provincial authorities have given their opinion. Indeed, he knows nothing about the National Program for Health Frontiers, which anyway has not reached the North Kivu province.

The provincial minister heads the provincial committee for the coordination of health activities consisting of the head of the DPS, the IPS, the heads of all health zones (MCZ), the Chief of the Office of Decentralization and civil society leaders.

Under the oversight of the Governor, and in collaboration with the head of the DPS, the provincial Minister of Health also oversees personal recruitment for health zones and health centers. The situation is unsatisfactory in that many staff members health services have not been enrolled in the civil service (“mechanisé”) despite serving for more than 10 years. Moreover, even the central government does not have real statistics of the health personnel deployed in the field.

However, as in South Kivu, there is a conflict of jurisdiction between the DPS and the IPS. However, in North Kivu the two sides resolved to "be tolerant” and “to minimize conflict", thinks in particular to the IPS, who, not coming from the province, has adopted a "survival reflex".

Thanks to the indifference with which the Governor of Province treats the investigation reports and recommendations submitted by the IPS, he has come to ask whether the provincial authority even wants his institution in its jurisdiction. Indeed, the IPS only survives due to financial assistance from the Global Fund and the European Union for their field visits and operations and running expenses (office supplies, communications and fuel).

The mismatch between the mapping of health zones and that of many ETDs, (in North Kivu,5 as in South Kivu6) is such that there is no clarity on which entity has responsibility. However, the health zone is the operational framework for implementation of the strategy of primary health care, and is supposed to be part of the local development plan.

To this end, the decree announced7by the National Health Minister on the establishment, organization and functioning of the health zones should be an 5 Example, in the city of Butembo, the health zone of Butembo covers the towns of Vulamba Kimemi while Kitwa health zone covers the Communes of Bulengera and Mususa 6 Example, in the town of Bukavu where the Bagira health zone covers part of the Commune of Bagira, part of the Commune of Kadutu and part of the Chefferie of Kabare. Tthe health zone of Kadutu covers part of the Commune of Kadutu and part of the Commune of Bagira 7 Article 10 of Law 18/035 of December 13, 2018 establishing the fundamental principles relating to the organization of public health

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opportunity to clarify their status and administrative links, as well and the role and responsibility vis-à-vis ETDs.

The publication of the ministerial decree, along with civil society engagement, could bring transparency to the situation and prevent the creation of new health zones in order to create jobs for political clients8.

8 In 1984, the DRC was divided into 306 health zones on the basis of 100,000 to 150,000 inhabitants per zone. The following division of 2003 established 516 health zones with an overall population of the country estimated at the time at 52 million inhabitants. The current population of the DRC estimated at 95,000,000 inhabitants will lead to a review of the number of health zones throughout the country as well as their characteristics

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3. Decentralization of Education

3.1 Structures, major players and influences

3.1.1 The Ministry of Primary, Secondary and Technical Education

(EPST)

Since the first general elections in 2006, the Ministry of EPST has been led by a member of the PPRD, formerly the presidential party, today the flagship party of the parliamentary majority.

Like his predecessors, the Minister appointed to this post within the current Government controls the entire education sector, from the central level to the provincial level, even local level, thanks to his numerous links throughout the DRC, on the basis of a proven political patronage. His power derives from the fact that it is his task to appoint the main leaders of the educational sector in the DRC, except the Secretary General and the Inspector General of EPST.

The previous Minister of EPST, who came from the same political party, was distinguished by the creation of numerous management units, particularly in the pre-election period. Under the pretext of wanting to bring the citizens closer to the administrations to justify the creation of educational provinces and, above all, educational sub-provinces, (and in order to provide employment for activists of his political parties) he fragmented the system without taking into account existing legislation and norms, and even less budget forecasts. The data available indicates that most of the new offices, particularly those created in 2017, have not been added to the payroll, as the process of signing orders has been completely detached from the budgetary process.9 Also, many dignitaries have often distinguished themselves by interfering with the Minister of EPST in order to obtain for themselves or for their constituents decrees approving schools in their electoral districts.

Because of the increasingly frequent political interventions from the Minister's Office on education, resulting in confusion in the work of the Administration, some have come to baptize the corridor which leads to the offices of the advisers as “Ngobila Beach”.10

3.1.2 The Secretary General of EPST and PROVEDs

The Secretary General is the highest administrative authority of the Ministry of EPST. He implements, through the various services placed under his supervision, the national policy (including the formulation and application of standards and guidelines) and the management of human, financial and material resources. He exerts a great influence on the Provincial Division Heads (PROVED) whom he considers as his agents placed at the disposal of the Provincial Governors. This brought a trade union to label PROVEDs as "errand boys" of the national Minister and provincial Governors.

9 Cf. C. Owen Brandt and S. Moshonas, “The impact of decentralization on the governance of the education system in the Democratic Republic of Congo: stressed budgets for a makeshift administration ", accepted for publication in the following book: Englebert, P & Ngoy, B. (eds): “Congo : the State in pieces. Politics and administration through the prism of provincial division”. Tervuren: MRAC 10 From the name of the river port of Kinshasa where boats coming from or coming from the city of Brazzaville dock. Beach Ngobila is known to be a setting for transactions of all kinds and where a lot of hassle takes place on the part of public officials. Whoever goes there must be willing to endure them.

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While affirming that “education has always been decentralized given that schools are located, organized and managed in the provinces”, the Secretary General asserts that education is national and must therefore be provided everywhere in the same way. When he transmits the standards and guidance to the Provincial Governors, in particular from the Minister, he also informs the PROVEDs so that they are aware of the requirements.

The Secretary General of displays an unfavorable attitude to decentralization. In particular, he criticizes the provincial ministers in charge of education for a certain propensity to overshadow the PROVEDs, against which they are increasing blockages in order to make the various provincial governors inaccessible. He also regrets the fact that these provincial ministers are most often chosen on the basis of political considerations rather than that of knowledge of the education sector. Finally, he stigmatizes their instability due to the frequent changes observed at the level of provincial executives. In reality, the conflicts that erupt from time to time between the some PROVEDs and the provincial ministers can be better explained by the nature of the leadership and characters.

The current Secretary General of comes from the same province as the aforementioned Minister. He had previously headed SECOPE (Teachers' Payroll and Control Service). He has a skeptical attitude towards decentralization and says he is in favor of the policy of assigning non-native executives (PROVED) to the provinces.

3.1.3 The Inspector General of EPST, the Main Provincial

Inspectors (IPP) and the Pool Inspectors (INSPOOL)

The General Inspectorate is a technical service of the EPST which aims to enforce and observe the standards issued at the central level of the ministry.

This monitoring is carried out through three specific missions:

• control of educational standards which contribute to the proper functioning and quality of education services

• training of teachers and managers and reframing of the shortcomings observed

• evaluation of teaching and school managers.

The Inspector General interacts with the Secretary General. Some trade unionists consider his power to be theoretical and subject to much political interference, especially when, instead of sending teachers, activists from political parties are sent to supervise the state exams.

In our meeting, he did not hesitate to deplore the fact that he is not consulted beforehand, for example when the National Minister issues decrees by which he proceeds to “slaughter” the management units. The notes he sends to the said Minister generally remain without follow-up. He therefore calls for a top-to-bottom strengthening of the structure as well as for the education of politicians in respect of standards.

The Inspector General of EPST has as a direct counterpart in the Principal Provincial Inspector (IPP) who, in turn, is represented in the ETDs by the Pool Inspectors (Inspool) who manage the itinerant Inspectors. All these inspection structures are decentralized services of the central government.

However, if the principle of inspection and control is relevant in the system for transparency and accountability, it is regrettable that in the provinces as well, the

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recommendations of the inspectors of the EPST are not always enforceable. The PROVEDs decide what action to take in the face of observed irregularities.

Inspectors have limited power and influence.

3.1.4 SECOPE

The Control and Payroll Service Teachers manages the list of all educational staff (those who provide lessons in classrooms, School Directors and administrative staff), as well coordination of faith-based schools. It prepares payroll and sends lists to the national Ministry of the Budget, before it transmits the records to the Ministry of Finance prior to making payments through bank transfers. It updates its lists periodically, unfortunately without involving the Human Resources Department of the Ministry.

As a technical service of the Ministry reporting to the General Secretariat, SECOPE's essential mission is to ensure the management of teachers' careers, manage staffing and payroll, and prepare payrolls.

This service, which is represented in the provinces by DIPROSECs and at the local level by branches, and which manages the entire payroll of education personnel, has acquired a great influence to the point where it is currently at the center of a great controversy born of an exorbitant number of teachers called new units (NU), practicing for several years but without being "mechanisé" (enrolled in the civil service), nor receiving salary as registered agents of the State.

It is currently suspected of numerous embezzlements through appointment of “ghost workers” at PROVED and Sous-PROVED level. Teacher unions are demanding an audit of the real number of these "new units" and their actual duty stations.

The challenge is to efficiently mobilize the exact number of teachers needed in the face of the substantial increase in the number of students following the free primary education decreed in September 2019.

3.2 South Kivu

According to several observers, the EPST sector in South Kivu is highly politicized. Each time a new Provincial Governor is installed, one of his priorities is to create new educational sub-divisions with all the services attached to them, in particular the pools of inspectors and the SECOPE branches. It is reported that the previous Provincial Governor, a member of the PPRD, had arranged with the current Secretary General of the EPST to create the Kadutu and Panzi Sub-Divisions in order to provide employment for the militants of this political formation who want to keep control of this Ministry.

The Provincial Minister in charge of education comes from the PANADER political party, a member of the Front Commun pour le Congo (FCC), the majority platform in the National Parliament and in almost all the Provincial Assemblies. Contrary to the majority of cases observed in certain other provinces, this member of the Provincial Executive seems to maintain good collaboration relations with the Provincial Division (PROVED), the Provincial Inspectorate (IPP) and DIPROSEC which she considers to be her technical services. The latter make sure to keep copies of all correspondence from the national level.

It should be noted that she considers the National Minister to be her direct head to whom she must report and whose directives she must scrupulously observe. However, she recognizes that when receiving any instruction from the Secretary

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General, she must first inform the provincial governor since education is a decentralized sector in which the Governor has a leading role.

However, her relations with the Provincial Assembly seem difficult. Indeed, she complains about the inclinations of the provincial deputies demanding decentralization of certain centralized matters, such as examinations (state exams or end of primary school exams called TENAFEP). This highlights the need to train the Deputies so that they can better manage decentralization.

A certain resignation seems to characterize the Provincial Minister in the management of the major problems facing the education sector in the Province. While recognizing the extent of the problem linked to the irregular assignment of so-called “new unit” teachers11 some of whom do not even have the appropriate qualifications, she avoids any responsibility as for this, laying the blame with the administrators of schools who prepare and transmit lists to the provincial SECOPE, which, in turn sends them to the national SECOPE. Asked about this astonishing situation, she is content to declare that she has no control over the Sous-Proved or the coordinators of the approved schools, and that her intervention only takes place in the event of a complaint. This resignation is also manifested in the case of infrastructure: the Minister seems to expect everything from Kinshasa on the grounds that responsibility for it is a centralized matter.

A point that deserves to be underlined concerning the powers with which PROVED considers itself invested in relation to the Principal Provincial Inspector. Considering itself as the representative of the national Minister of EPST, placed at the disposal of the Provincial Governor, not to mention the representative of the Secretary General with regard to political and administrative questions, the PROVED is keen to assert his precedence over the PPI. The latter, although also reporting to the Provincial Governor,12 considers it necessary to make any hearing at a certain level conditional on the prior authorization of the PROVED.13 PROVED's centralizing reflex can be explained in part by the policy to employ staff from another province which has been applied for several years to senior executives in the education sector. Not being from the province, the PROVED of South Kivu is forced to rely more on powerful supporters in Kinshasa for fear of finding himself outnumbered in front of the natives of the province namely the Governor and the Provincial Minister of Education.

Moreover, he considers that as long as Kinshasa continues to pay teachers and that the province does not have a provincial edict establishing responsibility for teachers, the powers devolved to the provinces will be difficult to implement. He therefore considers that in the meantime, it is the Framework Law 14/004 of 11 February 2014 on national education which will continue to apply in all its fullness to the whole of the education sector. EPST, especially with regard to the establishment of standards for the proper functioning of education and the appointment of provincial officials.

The IPP deplores the fact that he sometimes finds himself stuck between a rock and a hard place, torn between contradictory instructions emanating from Kinshasa and the province respectively. He spoke about the stress deriving from the fact that the

11 Compared to other provinces, South Kivu lags significantly behind in the mechanization of the education sector because it was suspended during the RCD rebellion. It is this delay that explains the extent of the problem with new units in this province. 12 Unlike PROVED, which can address itself directly to the Secretary General or to the National Minister, the IPP must go through the Inspector General, its hierarchical chief, for any exchange with the National Minister. 13 During the research team's stay in Bukavu, the capital of South Kivu, the IPP refused to grant any hearing until PROVED was informed. Obviously he needed an implicit authorization from PROVED to be able to receive the researchers in charge of developing this PEA.

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National Minister of Education had taken a decision making delivery 2018 State diplomas free, while the province considered it should be applied for diplomas from previous years. In fact Kinshasa will only confirm the free delivery of all state diplomas at some future date. Finally, it should be noted that, like the IPP, the traveling inspectors constituting the inspection pools are appointed by the national Minister following a process of national competition overseen by Kinshasa followed by training and an internship.

At the level of the ETDs, the Mayors maintain good relations with the Sous-PROVEDs. In the commune of Bagira, the Bourgmestre recently appointed on the basis, he says, of his independence from political actors,14 has already met the Sous-PROVED twice, and promised to accompany him. By way of illustration, he evokes the visit he received from the Sous-PROVED who came to bring him for signature the list of supervisors appointed within the framework of the state examinations. Likewise, the Bourgmestre of Kadutu Commune considers relations with the EPST as cordial. The Commune has agreed to allocate the EPST space for the construction of its offices for the Primary and Secondary Inspection Pool and the SECOPE branch at the municipal social center.

Despite this positive picture, it should be noted that certain municipal authorities seem to want to avoid the real challenges of the EPST sector, believing that these questions go beyond them and rather fall within the competence of the Provincial Government. This is the case with the Deputy Bourgmestre of Kadutu who believes that it is the Province which should manage these questions by allocating substantial resources to this sector.

3.3 North Kivu Since 2004, the administrative province of North Kivu has been divided into three educational provinces: North Kivu 1 (city of Goma, territory of Nyiragongo and territory of Rutshuru), North Kivu 2 (city of Butembo, city of Beni, territory of Beni and Lubero territory) and North Kivu 3 (Walikale territory and Masisi territory).

The Minister in charge of Education within the Provincial Government steers the two branches resulting from the break-up of the former Ministry of Primary, Secondary and Vocational Education (EPSP), managed in the Central Government respectively by the Ministry of Primary, Secondary and Technical Education (EPST) and that of Vocational Training, Arts and Crafts (FPAM).

These two sectors are seeing their respective educational provinces, both based in the administrative province of North Kivu, suffering from lack of human resources and buildings because of the duplication. In this regard, the Provincial Minister has written several times to the two Ministers of the Central Government to invite them to clarify the responsibilities of the two sectors. But instead of helping to settle these recurring conflicts, Kinshasa seems to maintain them for unacknowledged reasons.

In the educational sector, the Provincial Minister has the classic technical services of the three Divisions led by PROVEDs, the Provincial Inspectorate, DIPROSEC and SERNIE.15 She chairs the Provincial Committee of the EPST which, among other

14 Former Provincial Manager of the National Human Rights Commission, the new Bourgmestre of Bagira seems determined to help the Governor of the Province to establish himself more in this Commune of which he is also a native and which could serve as his base. election in the relatively near future. 15 National Pupil Identification Service

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things, prepares the submission regarding the amount of school fees by the Provincial Governor.

According to the Director of the Cabinet of the Provincial Minister of Education, decentralization has remained a dead letter because everything is decided in Kinshasa, sometimes outside of what is provided for by the Constitution. Indeed, the central power does not let the provinces make decisions within the limits of their constitutional powers. As proof, he relies on the instruction from Kinshasa prohibiting the proclamation of end-of-year results in the provinces before the date that would be set by the national Minister of EPST.

Ultimately, although collaboration with Kinshasa is generally effective, the Provincial Minister’s office deplores the slowness of responses from the National Ministry, even when they are urgent.

Like the other provinces, North Kivu has been hard hit by the so-called brutal implementation of free basic education provided for by article 43 of the Constitution.

Except at the primary school level where this measure has been scrupulously applied, the Parents' Committees and School Heads have had to show ingenuity to try to find measures to compensate for the shortfall,16 which it caused at the secondary school level. The Provincial Minister and her teams are thinking about solutions to be addressed to Kinshasa through the Provincial Governor, with a view to better management of the problems that free education will inevitably pose during the 2020-2021 school year, in particular with regard to the plethora of students in the classrooms, the insufficiency of the buildings and the demotivation of the teachers who lost more than half of what they received monthly. Once again the central government’s outstretched hand of power has affected most provincial officials.

The North Kivu 1 PROVED, based in Goma, maintains good relations with the provincial minister who acts as an intermediary to access the provincial governor. This collaboration is not however perfect due to the vagueness which characterizes the powers of the provincial Ministers of the education sector across the country.17 The situation is compounded by instructions from the Provincial Minister, prohibiting technical and financial partners from working directly with the PROVED without her being informed. Therefore, while recognizing being a collaborator of the Provincial Minister, PROVED wishes to see her role clarified.

He considers his relations with IPP and DIPROSEC cordial, over which he nevertheless wishes to reiterate his precedence. Regarding the central power, PROVED deals directly with the Secretary General in administrative matters, and with the Provincial Governor or the Provincial Minister in matters directly affecting the province. Finally, PROVED welcomes the policy of appointing non-natives of the province as PROVEDs because this upholds the neutrality of those responsible for educational provinces.

The PROVED of the educational province of North Kivu 2, based in Butembo, recalled the distribution of powers between the center and the provinces set by the Constitution of the DRC and the Framework Law on education. Wishing to preserve a climate of understanding he unreservedly recognizes the power of the Provincial Governor to appoint the heads of schools by means of an Order, on the recommendation of the Provincial Committee of Education chaired by the Provincial 16 Teachers who managed to earn around US $ 400 per month from the Parents' Bonus suddenly found themselves with less than US $ 200. 17 In some administrative provinces there is a provincial minister in charge of education as a whole while in others the provincial minister of the sector is only responsible for the EPST.

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Minister of Education. Some instructions are sent directly to him by Kinshasa while others pass through the Provincial Governor.18 Likewise, the Secretary General writes to him directly, copied to the Provincial Governor through the Provincial Minister.

It thus appears that it is thanks to its mastery of the fundamentals of decentralization and education on the one hand, and his conciliatory attitude on the other hand, that the PROVED of North Kivu 2, although he is not from the administrative province of North Kivu, works in perfect cohesion with both Kinshasa and the provincial (Provincial Governor and Provincial Minister of Education) and local authorities (Mayors of Butembo and Beni, their Communes, and Administrators of the territories of Beni and Lubero). This also explains his collaboration with his counterparts in the educational provinces of North Kivu 1 and North Kivu 3 based respectively in Goma and Walikale. This position places it ultimately safe from interference from Deputies, Senators and other dignitaries of the province.

The Educational Province of North Kivu 2 is facing serious problems mainly related to generalized insecurity, the Ebola epidemic and the Covid-19 pandemic, the lack of infrastructure as well as induced effects of the measure implementing free basic education.

Indeed, the numerous displacements of families caused by the almost generalized insecurity create an urgent need to educate and integrate children in the environments where they find themselves. These children are additional to the increase in numbers caused by the free education policy, and thereby increasing the demand for added classrooms.

Unfortunately, it turns out that the infrastructure is so lacking that only the Division, the Inspectorate and a few sub-divisions of EPSP have buildings built thanks to contributions from parents.

The free education policy, prohibiting parental contributions, has had the effect of suspending construction or rehabilitation work on buildings to house the EPSP services or provide additional classrooms to accommodate the plethora of new students. Like his colleagues, the PROVED of North Kivu 2 would like the Government to authorize them to continue to make parents contribute to the financing of the construction or rehabilitation works of infrastructure. The Sous-PROVED of Butembo 2, considers that the free education policy should only prohibit payments for salaries and operating costs.

During the 2020-2021 school year, serious difficulties are feared in schools whose directors had contracted debts with banks, counting on repayment on the basis of contributions from parents. Other difficulties are linked to the lack of means of transport of the Sous-PROVEDs as well as to the problem of collecting the statistical data necessary for planning.

Although they are not officially involved in the management of the education system, the Bourgmestres of the Communes of Kimemi, Vulamba, Bulengera and Mususa are, from time to time, associated with certain activities of the sector, in this case state exams (EXETAT) and the National End of Primary Studies Test (TENAFEP). However, they deplore the stranglehold of Kinshasa which, curiously

18 This was the case with the instructions relating to the implementation of free basic education.

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enough, continues to print school reports and even to organize the sending of health kits to schools located more than 2,000 kilometers away.

Thanks to a fund financed by itself, civil society and third parties, the Ville of Butembo manages to take charge of the first school year of displaced children. It also intervenes on an ad hoc basis in favor of damaged schools.

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4. Provincial Governments and ETDs

4.1 South Kivu

More than 12 years after the adoption of essential laws on decentralization,19 the development of the DRC is affected by the low level of national revenues collected from the provinces and challenges in the mobilization of own resources by the provinces and ETDs as provided for in the 2006 Constitution. However, “the transfer of the powers of the State to the benefit of the Departments, Regions and Communes risk appearing more nominal than real as long as the decentralized public entities do not have the sufficient resources over which they have control”.20 The sectors of health and education are not immune from this reality.

With regard to human resources, one can note a certain disorder in the assignment and the assumption of responsibility of the personnel of these two sectors. Regarding the IPS first of all, it was indicated that it does not have officially assigned personnel.21 Indeed, following a note from the Secretary General of the National Ministry of Health dating from 2016, the staff who had not been appointed to the DPS went de facto to the IPS.

An assignment process was initiated but it was unfortunately punctuated by irregularities. For example we found on that lists of candidates for the DPS drawn up by the Provincial Governor’s office included people who were not candidates or who were already assigned to the DPS. Likewise, the Head of the DPS has been working for 18 months in an acting capacity, the Province being unable to confirm it given that this decision should come from Kinshasa.

In the field of education, it was previously reported that PROVED is a non-native placed by the National Minister at the disposal of the Provincial Governor. The latter's power is exercised above all in the assignment of appointed agents.

Unfortunately, under the pretext of not wanting to interfere in the management of educational sub-divisions, the Provincial Minister of Education does not dare to control the appointments made by Sous-PROVEDs, sometimes in a clientelist manner. Salaries and operating costs also come from Kinshasa. However, the problem of unpaid and “New Unit” teachers arises all the more acutely since the implementation of free primary education. This has ended parental contributions to the salaries of teachers as well as the construction, and rehabilitation of buildings. To achieve effective and efficient free education, it would first be necessary to take charge of New Unit teachers and Unpaid teachers. In addition, some trade unionists denounce the distribution of the territory into wage zones which has the effect of allocating to the teacher of South Kivu a monthly amount of 189,000 Congolese Francs (about $100) at the time when his colleague from Kinshasa or Lubumbashi receives 400,000 Congolese Francs (about $210).

Regarding financial resources, the contribution of the Province and the ETDs of South Kivu to the financing of the health and education sectors is almost zero. Since financial resources come mainly from Kinshasa, central government has the power to

19 These are Law 08/012 of July 31, 2008 relating to fundamental principles relating to the free administration of the provinces, Organic Law 08/015 of October 7, 2008 relating to organizational and functioning of the conference of provincial governors and of the Organic Law 08/016 of October 7, 2008 on the composition, organization and functioning of decentralized territorial entities and their relations with the State and the Provinces. 20 This recalls the work of Bernard Brachet on the French tax system (Brachet, B., The French tax system, 5 th edition, LGDJ, Paris, 1990, p.187) 21 Nor does it have its own building, the IPS is a tenant of the Blood Transfusion Center.

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act as a helping hand or adopt a cumbersome approach to decision making or emergency management. Showing himself to be more proactive, the head of the DPS deplores this dependence and considers that the payment of salaries and bonuses should not remain the sole responsibility of Kinshasa. He also regrets that the agreements relating to the various health programs have been signed in Kinshasa and that donors have become accustomed to working directly with the health zones without informing the province as to the modalities of funding or available resources. In his view, these challenges sufficiently illustrate the ineffectiveness of decentralization of the health sector.

This observation also applies to the Provincial Health Inspectorate, which declares that it receives nothing for the functioning of its services, neither from the central government, nor from the provincial government. For several years, the IPS has been trying to function thanks to the support of donors, in particular GIZ which, on the basis of an Operational Action Plan, allocates it a monthly sum of $6,700.

At the health zone level, resources come mainly from the community. In the Bagira health zone, for example, the community's share in the budget is almost 70% of the budget through medical fees; the rest being covered by the donors and the central government through risk premiums22 and wages. It should be noted that this health zone receives nothing from the provincial government or the ETD.

The Provincial Minister of Finance is concerned about the fact that the salaries of all teachers and doctors is dependent on transfers made by the central power. She considers that if the constitutional provision to retain at source of 40% of revenues were to be implemented, the Provincial Public Administration could itself manage and pay the staff of the health and education sectors in the province. When we know that the provincial budget depends on 62% of the expected retrocession funds (the other 20% from their own revenues and 18% from exceptional revenues, such as from examination fees and donors) the disastrous consequences of irregular retrocession payments are apparent.

Despite these difficulties, the provincial budget does not benefit from the support of SNEL or REGIDESO, even though the inter-ministerial decree fixing the taxes, duties, taxes and fees to be collected by the entity provides for this. In order not to comply, the Provincial Directorates of these state enterprises claim to have to transfer all their revenues to Kinshasa. A similar problem arises with the two large local companies, Bralima and Pharmakina, which pay their taxes directly to the Directorate of Large Enterprises of the DGI in Kinshasa even though these revenues are recorded as being from South Kivu.

The Provincial Minister of Health also confirms the ineffectiveness of decentralization and considers that the non-application of the retrocession of 40% of national revenues has the effect of reinforcing the dependence on the center by the so-called decentralized sectors. He is asking donors to help the province to extract this 40%, and rationally use retrocession funds received from Kinshasa, and mobilize23 own revenues. In this regard, the computerization of the revenue and expenditure chains

22 The local premium is derived from the recovery of costs related to medical procedures while the risk premium comes from the central government and is only paid to a certain number of staff 23 The Provincial Government has contracted with a partner who helps it to maximize these revenues through the use of new information and communication technologies.

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is essential. The duty to pay taxes should also be encouraged and internal capacities strengthened to put in place genuine mobilization policies.

The insufficiency and irregularity of the retrocession due by Kinshasa to the provinces also influences the retrocession due by them to ETDs established in their respective territories.24. The Bourgmestre of Kadutu reports that the Province does not send anything to the Commune, not even a portion of the taxes that it collects in the name of ETDs. On the contrary, the Province had even forbidden Bralima from paying the beer tax of $3,000 directly to the Commune. To avoid these inconveniences, the ETDs had tried to obtain from Kinshasa the possibility of receiving directly, by bank, the sums due to them under the intra-provincial retrocession. The Deputy Bourgmestre of Kadutu noted with bitterness that Kinshasa is gradually withdrawing from the financing of ETDs.

Recently, the Head of Kabare Chefferie has also launched a campaign to demand the retrocession due by the province to ETDs.

In order to face these multidimensional problems linked to financing, in particular in the field of education, a campaign has been initiated by the National Coalition of Education for All (CONEPT), based in Kinshasa but having representatives in several provinces, in order to encourage the adoption of innovative financing mechanisms by the provinces and ETDs. Unfortunately the implementation of these mechanisms risks being undermined by the central power which tends to oppose this type of initiative by the provinces. This happened in particular when the National Ministry of the Economy vigorously forbade the Provincial Government to charge a road traffic tax (called vignette) on the basis of an easy collection mechanism agreed with the oil companies, consisting in the introduction of an additional cost of 20 to 30 Congolese francs in the price of each liter of fuel sold. It considered that this was too much taxation.

4.2 North Kivu

The issue of resource allocation to decentralized health and education services also arises in North Kivu, but from a slightly different perspective than in South Kivu province. The culture of self-care is much more present in North Kivu, especially thanks to the leadership of the previous Provincial Governor, to the commitment of the Federation of Enterprises of Congo (FEC), Provincial Directorate of North Kivu, in for the development of the province and the resilience of communities.

Regarding human resources, the challenges encountered in South Kivu arise mutatis mutandis in North Kivu, whether it is the issue of New Units and Unpaid or the induced effects of free education for based.

As for financial and material resources, the persistence of the problems linked to the insufficiency and irregularity of the retrocession led the Provincial Coordination of Civil Society to write to the national Ministers of Budget and Finance to inform them that one day they could stop paying taxes to the financial authorities (DGI, DGDA, DGRAD). Concerned about the financing of basic social sectors, the Provincial

24 In the budget of the commune of Kadutu, the expected share of national revenue is set at 16%,that of revenue owed by the province, at 52%, and that linked to its own revenue, at 32%. Since the beginning of 2020, the commune of Kadutu has only received the retrocession from the national level on two occasions, although it has not received any sum from the province.

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Governor participated in a 4-day workshop alongside deputies and civil society to strengthen the budget line relating to the education sector.

A deplorable situation was reported that the Bourgmestre of the Commune of Karisimbi, considering that she was not accountable to anyone, refused the installation of a computer database of taxpayers as well as the posting of the tax code, thus leaving the way for the Commune's revenue to flow freely. This example makes the restructuring of the provincial financial authority (DGRNK) more and more urgent.

In the ETDs in Butembo, the culture of self-care allows authorities and communities to try to compensate for the inadequate funding of the health and education sectors. For example, most of the buildings housing the management units of the EPST and certain schools have been built or rehabilitated thanks to contributions from parents. This trend - whereby people actually subsidize education management offices in the absence of public funding - is well known beyond the education sector. In the early 1990s, a pioneering study of the public sector in Zaire showed the extent to which informal taxation weighed heavily on service users and households, while noting that these taxes contributed to the provision of public services in a context where public funding had run out (Prud'homme 1992)25.

Regarding the collection of taxes, however, the urban authorities deplore the obstruction of pressure groups as well as the interference of certain political actors calling for fiscal disobedience. Sometimes conflicts appear between the Ville and the Communes due to an ambiguous formulation of the applicable tax code.

Indeed, whether it is the ETD facilitators and those of the health and education services as well as those of civil society, all declared that the transfer of powers was not accompanied by the transfer of means or finances to make decentralization effective.

The power to retain local revenues (Province or ETD) is not yet effective. All the revenues mobilized are lodged in the national treasury of the State. The central power gives back what it wants, and when it wants, to these entities. For example, in 2020, ETDs only received this retrocession 3 times. The Communes received approximately $2,000 and the Ville approximately $7,000 each time. With this sum, which arrived irregularly, it is difficult to take development actions (construction of bridges, urban roads, sanitation, etc.), to pay the staff (many of whom are newly hired), or to support the health and education sectors.

Nearly 40% of ETD budgets are supposed to derive from retrocession income, which rarely happens. A little more than 60% of revenues are expected from own or local revenues, but the worrying security, health and economic situation of the area has

25 More recent studies on the provision of public services suggest that this trend has become rather widespread: due to insufficient wages and operating expenses, public services effectively function as tax units. parafiscal whose revenues are used in part to cover operating costs, but part of which is also redistributed upwards according to a “prebendière” logic (a process known as “rapportage” in the DRC) (Englebert and Kasongo 2016; Baaz, Olsson, and Verweijen 2018; Baaz and Olsson 2011; Verhaghe 2018; Malukisa 2017; Titeca and De Herdt 2011). However, it should be noted that hiring (often based on the logic of patronage) does not automatically add the staff to the State payroll, and therefore do not guarantee the receipt of a salary or bonus. Cf. C. Owen Brandt and S. Moshonas, “The impact of decentralization on the governance of the educational system in the Democratic Republic of Congo: stressed budgets for a makeshift administration”, accepted for publication in the following book: Englebert, P & Ngoy, B. (eds): “Congo: the State in pieces. Politics and administration through the prism of provincial division ”. Tervuren: MRAC.

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been unfavorable to business for nearly a decade. Often annual income is not even half that budgeted.

In addition, there are taxes unfairly which hit the same base twice. Some taxes are assigned by the code to the Ville and the Commune. For example taxes on the annual inventory of products, and application forms for business licenses (Ville) overlap with the annual professional tax (Commune). This double taxation creates resistance by citizens. There is also disagreement between the Ville and the Communes as to whether it should be paid once, that is to say at the start of an activity, or every year. As a result collection was suspended in 2018 pending the opinion of the Council of State.

4.2.1 Special case of the FEC - North Kivu

Special mention must be made of the Federation of Enterprises of Congo, whose Provincial Directorate of North Kivu has distinguished itself by an exemplary commitment to the development of this province.

Noting that schools and health centers or private hospitals, whose promoters or owners are often among its members, are better managed than public educational or health structures, the Head of the Provincial Directorate of FEC North Kivu would like the management of the latter is also entrusted to private economic operators. It encourages local public private partnership projects, that is to say "projects carried out by parties governed by public law and private law, jointly, and within the framework of a partnership in order to add value to these parties".26

By way of illustration, it proposes that the public authorities ask private economic operators to build schools or health centers or hospitals with exemptions. With legal personality, and enjoying management autonomy, provinces and ETDs can in fact contract with the private sector in the delivery of educational or health services.

Even if the province of North Kivu has not yet experienced a public-private partnership model in the strict sense of the word, it has nevertheless attempted an unprecedented experience which is similar to it, as part of a vast project to build the road network in the city of Goma thanks to the conventional tax on fuel.

Taking advantage of the possibility offered by the province’s tax code to create a tax for its reconstruction, the former provincial governor concluded an agreement with the main employers' organizations of North Kivu27 and SOCOC, an open capital construction company whose main partners are all members of the FEC, providing for the payment of a sum set today at 60 Congolese francs, for each liter of imported fuel.

The sums thus collected first go through the account of the governorate of the province before being used to repay the advances made by SOCOC in prefinancing of construction work on the urban road network28. Another case was recalled by the Chief of the North Kivu FEC, whose members building agricultural feeder roads were reimbursed by the Provincial Government.

26 D. DEOM and C. THIEBAUT C, Decentralization and financial autonomy in Belgium, in The implementation of decentralization : Comparative study France, Belgium, Canada , Brussels, Bruylant, 2006, p 348 27 FEC, FENAPEC, COPEMECO, APENOKI 28 Each year the provincial government, the FEC and the SOCOC sign a memorandum of understanding determining the number of kilometers to be built and as well as the rate of the tax.

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Despite the absence of formally established PPP cases, FEC President Butembo-Lubero nonetheless referred to several financing initiatives in the health and education sectors.

These include the assistance provided to the Matanda Hospital, a former public hospital that had been abandoned and whose reconstruction was carried out by businesses at the request of the Bishop of Butembo. Likewise, members of the FEC have built pavilions at the Catholic University of Graben (UCG) without charge, and an auditorium at the Free University of the Great Lakes Countries (ULPGL).

In the same dynamic, the FEC financed 90% of the cost of construction of the Town Hall of Butembo, the former President Kabila having taken charge of the balance estimated at $200,000. In the opinion of the President of the FEC Butembo-Lubero, this partnership was not formalized due to the absence of the culture of writing in the transactions carried out by businessmen of the "Grand Nord”.29

In addition, the FEC bears a tax for security patrols, of 30 Congolese francs per unloaded truck, in order to contribute to the security of the town of Butembo.

The FEC of North Kivu seems to favor the formalization of PPPs. To achieve this, the government should strengthen mutual trust and abandon its reflexes to extract, in the expectation everything will be for free, even to the point of considering the FEC as an NGO.

29 The "Grand Nord" generally indicates the northern part of the province of North Kivu comprising the towns of Butembo and Beni as well as the territories of Beni and Lubero.

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5. Provincial assemblies

5.1 Background The Provincial Assembly is the legislative arm of the province, comprised of Provincial Deputies who are elected by direct vote or co-opted. The term of office of a provincial deputy is 5 years, which mandate is renewable. The Provincial Assembly has jurisdiction within its province, including the health and education sectors, in line with provisions of Articles 2030 and 204 of the Constitution.

Resulting from the presidential and legislative elections of December 30, 2018, the current Provincial Assemblies are relatively weak and are faced with various constraints that impact their ability to adopt decentralization of the health and education sectors. However, they have some strengths and could benefit from a number of opportunities to take ownership of the decentralization of the health and education sectors.

5.2 Weaknesses and constraints

Weaknesses

- This is the first time in parliament for more than 90% of provincial deputies.

Many are lost in the intricacies of parliamentary affairs and often appear to be ignorant of their constitutional duty. New deputies in the Provincial Assemblies of South Kivu and North Kivu are 33 out of 36 and 44 out of 48 respectively.

- Many observers assert that most of the parliamentarians appointed following

the disputed elections of December 30, 2018 would have been appointed by the CENI, and as a result cannot or do not work in the interest of the population to which it is not indebted.

- With the exception of a few who have had the opportunity to work previously

as a teacher, school principal, doctor or nurse, most of the provincial deputies do not have the technical knowledge necessary to understand public policies. This is all the more damaging as the provincial deputies are called upon to use their expertise in examining issues that require a specific level of knowledge, in particular the issues of free basic education and universal health coverage.

- The complexity of the issue of decentralization renders it almost

incomprehensible for the majority of provincial deputies. For example, the South Kivu Minister of Education criticized the local Provincial Assembly for wanting to decentralize student assessment tests, currently centralized, citing ignorance on their part and calling for the retraining of provincial deputies in matters of decentralization.

- The ruling coalition is experiencing difficulties at the national level, which

impacts on the balance of political power at the level of the Provincial Assemblies.

Constraints

- Non-payment of salaries of MLAs for over 10 months has made them

financially dependent on provincial Governors and greatly affects their performance.

- Absence of institutional memory within Provincial Assemblies: the personnel

of parliamentary administrations do not have career stability. For example, a new incumbent at the Provincial Assembly of South Kivu led to the departure of the Administrative Director who had 10 years’ tenure.

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- There have been no maintenance or equipment upgrades in the Provincial

Assemblies of South and North Kivu for many years. Without suitable premises, adequate working materials or information and resource management, their respective departments find it difficult to work in optimal conditions.

5.3 Strengths and opportunities

Strengths

- Most provincial deputies are young and therefore able to quickly acquire basic

knowledge of parliamentary affairs, to learn the fundamentals of decentralization and to familiarize themselves with public policies in the field of health and education. Notably, the Rapporteur in South Kivu and the First Vice-President in North Kivu are young.

- As novelty often goes hand in hand with creativity, one can hope that the

incoming provincial deputies – once familiar with their new métier - will be proactive and imaginative, and abandon the behavior that has long characterized their predecessors30 in adopting edicts affecting basic social sectors.

Opportunities

- Changes to the Head of State could stimulate new governance throughout all

institutions, including the Provincial Assemblies.

- The practice of holding inter-institutional meetings between the Provincial

Assembly of South Kivu and the Provincial Governor during the management of emergency situations such as the response to the covid-19 pandemic.

- The urgent need for capacity building expressed by all the provincial deputies

encountered within the framework of this PEA demonstrates the new provincial deputies’ desire to strengthen their abilities, particularly in matters of legislation, monitoring of public policies and parliamentary control.

- The involvement of civil society organizations in monitoring parliamentary

affairs and the culture of participatory dialogue would probably generate the same enthusiasm among new provincial deputies.

- In South Kivu, legislative hearings called “Provincial Assembly Open Days” organized by CEDECO (Centre for Support of Community Education and Development) are likely generate interest among provincial deputies for public debates on topics related to education. In the same way, CEDECO created the Permanent Communication Framework between the Provincial Assembly and Civil Society in which there is an expert from the Provincial Assembly, representatives of civil society as well as citizen movements.

- In North Kivu, the experience of RACID (Citizens’ Action Network for

Development) in public hearings involving provincial and/or national deputies, civil society and government officials could also benefit new members of the Provincial Assembly.

- The importance that provincial caucuses of national deputies currently enjoy,

and awareness of this among certain senators, could facilitate a beneficial rapprochement between national parliament and the provincial assemblies.

30 This routine was due to the bonus mandate from which provincial deputies and senators had benefited as a result of the slippage in the electoral calendar

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5.4 Relationship between National Legislature and the

Provincial Assemblies

5.4.1 National Assembly

Although it has so far intervened in an informal setting, the caucus of national deputies of South Kivu seems to have drawn closer to the Provincial Assembly. Discussions sometimes take place during parliamentary recess but most often during trips made by members of the Bureau of the Provincial Assembly to Kinshasa. In this regard, the Rapporteur of the Provincial Assembly has encouraged the standing committee in charge of external relations to travel regularly to Kinshasa to meet the caucuses of national deputies and senators from the province. For its part, NED has started funding an annual trip to Kinshasa in order to allow a representative of civil society and a provincial deputy to interact with the aforementioned caucus.

Unlike their colleagues from South Kivu, the national deputies from North Kivu seem to be the object of more criticism than praise. Although the President of the Economic and Financial Commission of the Provincial Assembly of North Kivu is satisfied with efforts made by the caucus of national deputies to the province to increase the provinces retrocession funds, civil society broadly denounces the harmful role played by certain national deputies in the instrumentalization of unemployed young people through "pressure groups" which undermine the actions of local authorities, especially in the "Grand Nord". The appeal by the first Vice-President of the Provincial Assembly to mobilize technical and financial support for formalizing a framework for consultation between the Provincial Assembly and the National Parliament could probably help calm certain socio-political tensions.

5.4.2 The Senate

As soon as they were elected by the provincial deputies, the senators rushed to cut ties with the Provincial Assemblies from which they came. This astonishing trend was unanimously condemned by all respondents within the framework of this PEA. Whether in South Kivu or North Kivu, the representatives of the Provincial Assemblies confirm that they have no more engagement with senators from their respective provinces. This deprives provincial deputies of the support they should legitimately receive from those who are supposed to serve as their intermediaries to support the interests of their respective provinces within national institutions.

While disapproving of this rupture, so detrimental to the provinces, the President of the Senate Commission in charge of relations with the provinces and ETDs attempts to explain its origin based on his personal experience of the former Minister of National Government and former Governor of the Haut-Uele Province. He points out that most of the provincial governors and their supporters in the Provincial Assemblies do not view favorably the return to their provinces of senators who have stood against them during the elections which they won. This unwelcoming reception has the effect of discouraging most senators, especially when they are suspected of wanting to overthrow the current governors through a motion. He concludes that it is the provincial governors who should show leadership such that national deputies and senators are welcomed and encouraged to interact with provincial authorities, including provincial deputies.

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6. Civil society

6.1 National level Congolese civil society organizations, engaged and active vis-à-vis issues of governance at both national and provincial level, are generally involved with issues relating to areas of health and education.

In view of their commitment and the variable structures of groups and networks, their areas of intervention as well as existing interactions with provincial and national institutions, these organizations constitute an effective intermediary to convey the concerns of people populations regarding these levels of competence.

At the national level, the National Consultation Framework for Civil Society of the DRC (CCNSC-DRC) appears to be best organized and present both at the national level and throughout all provinces of the country.

Indeed, the NACCS-DRC is a key national structure of civil society organizations in the DRC. It functions as a framework for consultation, a space for exchanges and multi-sectoral dialogues.

Member organizations are divided into 14 thematic groups31 according to their activities and interests, in line with their focus areas.

The CCNSC wants to be the unifying, umbrella framework for all strategic questions of Congolese civil society. It aims to create a space for exchanges and interactions between all civil society organizations without exception, and between CSOs and state structures, scientific, technical and financial partners, in order to contribute to the emergence of a modern, just and accountable Congolese society.

To this end, the NACCS, through its various thematic groups, interacts with government authorities at national and provincial level in advocacy initiatives related to "policymaking process", not only civic monitoring of public prosecution, but also the mobilization of communities on national causes such as the fight against the Ebola epidemic or the Covid-19 pandemic.

The research team approached representatives of the Health and Education thematic groups. In the education sector, mention should be made of the organization called CONEPT-DRC (National Coalition of Education for All in the DRC) because of its dynamism and commitment to the most burning problems in the sector, particularly researching innovative ways to finance education, free primary education and its consequences, the situation of newly appointed teachers (New Units (NU)) and the decentralization of the education sector.

CONEPT-RDC is a federation of parents’ organizations, teachers' unions and leaders of civic structures in the education sector, working together for positive changes in public policies on education.

31 These 14 group themes are: Army; Police; Political governance; Administrative, Local and Decentralization Governance; Justice and Human Rights; Business climate and PPP; Agriculture, Rural and Dynamic Development; Mines and Hydrocarbons; Education, Scientific Research, Culture and Arts; Health and HIV/AIDS; Gender; Environment, Water, Forests, Climate Change; Protection and Employment; ICT and Culture.

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Present or represented in 18 out of 26 provinces, this organization is currently engaged in advocacy aimed at:

• Encouraging local and provincial authorities to increase budgetary allocations for education

• Finding alternative methods to finance education, particularly in the context of free primary education

• Getting specific regulations adopted in line with the realities of each province on the implementation of alternative and innovative mechanisms to support education.

Among other strategies to achieve these objectives, the CONEPT-DRC supports the creation of a Network of Parliamentarians for Education within the provincial and national assemblies.

This platform’s network at both national and provincial level has huge potential to mobilize civil society in civil ownership and decentralization of the education sector.

6.2 South Kivu

In South Kivu, civil society is well represented through several organizations interacting effectively with all stakeholders, including the Provincial Assembly, DPS, IPS, health agencies, on issues relating to the Health and Education sectors.

Of these, the most dynamic and active in the field are:

• Le Groupe thématique/Santé de la Société civile in South Kivu, whose members include CAPSA (Comité d’Appui Pour la Santé)), the DFE (Dynamique Femme et Enfant));

• La Nouvelle Dynamique de la Société Civile (NDSCI); • The New Congolese civil society.

In the health sector, DFE initiated the bill on maternal health based on the principle “A woman need not die while giving life”; CAPSA carried out effective advocacy a few years ago for inclusion of a budget line for management of non-communicable diseases, in particular diabetes and cardiovascular diseases .

This focus group involved itself in the Health Solidarity program, inviting the population to join health insurance and the distribution of mosquito nets, especially in epidemics like Cholera and Covid-19;

In the education sector, the NDSCI is working to have a bill supporting the New Units (NU) adopted.

CEDECO (Support Center for Education and Community Development), representative and member of CONEPT in South Kivu, has set up Monitoring and Public Accountability Committees within all provincial ETDs in the Education sector (CVCRP). This network makes it possible to obtain information on the problems of education on the ground and to react accordingly, whether Managers, the Provincial Ministry of EPSP or the Provincial Assembly.

This organization has also initiated and is helping to set up, with the participation of the NDSCI and citizens' movements, a permanent framework for consultation with the Provincial Assembly, chaired by the Vice-President of this provincial legislative body. This framework meets every three months to analyze all the problems of the provincial health and education sectors, and formulate possible solutions, including, if necessary, an appeal to the relevant provincial ministers.

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6.3 North Kivu

In North Kivu, umbrella organizations and networks exist that are at the forefront on issues relating to Health and Education. These include, most notably, the Provincial Coordination of National Framework of Civil Society of the DRC and the Citizens’ Action Network for Democracy (RACID) based in Goma, but also represented in other cities (like Butembo) and rural areas of the province.

These two organizations interact with the main local and provincial representatives of education and health around advocacy, civic oversight of public action, and also awareness campaigns/mobilization of communities particularly during the Ebola epidemic.

RACID is notable for its actions/interactions with the provincial Assembly, with initiatives for bills in the health and education sectors. The former coordinator of this network is the current Vice-President of the provincial Assembly, which has received in previous years several training courses from USAID programs (BRDG and PBG in particular).

6.4 Beneficiaries and service providers To grasp fully how effective and efficient decentralization of structures and institutions might be, it was considered relevant to canvass the opinions both of the end-users in their community environment and of health and education service providers. The service providers are those who enable populations to benefit from decentralization through the quality and local management of such services. The users have a dual status, both as beneficiaries of the services and as committed citizens who ought to control and demand effective and efficient reforms from decision-makers, based on sound knowledge of the various stages and challenges.

Public service providers’ knowledge and understanding of issues and challenges of the decentralization process also contributes to the efficiency and effectiveness of this process in their respective sectors of activity.

Hence the need to record and analyze perceptions, motivations and underlying feelings as well as experiences through opinions expressed in focus groups of men and women together, which present an opportunity for interaction and exchange of ideas.

The focus groups run in Bukavu and Butembo dealt with different subtopics regarding decentralization of the health and education sectors. These sub-topics are as varied as the benefits of decentralization and the expectations it raises among populations and service providers, the interactions between different levels of power, the role of community leaders and civil society organizations, etc.

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7. Sectoral analysis

7.1. Health 7.1.1 Health providers

Decentralization enables health care providers to work within health facilities that are better supplied with equipment and medication, and more capable of responding to local problems, thanks to access to local authorities.

In addition, community participation in the management of health facilities encourages transparency and improvement in the quality of services and working environment. People participate in the planning of the health sector by identifying problems and possible solutions. "One no longer suspects authority or the head of a health facility because one understands his difficulties and problems”.

Local leadership thus makes it possible to cover basic health care needs: "We know how to control epidemics by detecting source cases to cut the chain of contamination".

As a result of this positive environment for responsible and local management, recurrent expectations of health service providers in the context of decentralization are as follows:

• Introduction of universal health care; • Rehabilitation of health facilities; • Adequate equipment in health facilities; • Availability of drugs; • Improvement in the quality of care.

For their part, women health service providers hope to see more women in positions of responsibility for the management of health facilities, and in particular female doctors heading up health zones.

The service providers hope to see their unions become more effective in advocating issues with the appropriate local government authorities and decentralized structures.

In conclusion, regarding interactions with the authorities, health service providers want local government authorities and decentralized structures to grant more financial resources to the health sector beyond central government paying salaries of registered employees.

7.1.2 Communities/beneficiaries

Regarding advantages of decentralization, beneficiaries of health services facilities believe it will facilitate rapid resolution of problems that arise at local level, with authorities closer to the people. In cases of epidemics, local authorities have the ability to make appropriate decisions instead of waiting for instructions from the capital, more than 3000km away, while "people's health is at stake". Thus, the chief medical officer of the zone under the supervision of the head of the ETD, can mobilize and deploy community networks and heads of villages and neighborhoods to convey clear information.

Decentralization also means that authorities and service providers report on their care to those who appointed or supervise them, and not to those thousands of miles distant; in addition, the people's evaluations are immediately taken into account by the local authority.

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However, one must remain aware of the tendency to patronage when recruiting community health workers; the people must ensure that this is done in full transparency.

With practical input from beneficiaries, decentralization will make it possible to ask local authorities to build and equip municipalities and neighborhoods with more health facilities in line with the local population’s needs. The populations can communicate directly with local authorities who have a better understanding of the health and access to healthcare problems of the area under their administration and can report back to their constituents regularly.

Further, community leaders as well as civil society organizations would engage in advocacy at all levels and monitor the quality of services administered to the people.

However, civil society activity in the health sector has not yet met the expectations of the population: “We are waiting for civil society to assert itself. But its actions in the field of health are not many. It is much more interested in security issues. However, it broadcasts alerts and calls on the radio. During the Ebola response (in North Kivu), it helped break resistance through community sensitization. NGOs are also raising awareness of what civil society should do:

- Visit health facilities to record existing problems, in order to develop

advocacy;

- Strengthen collaboration with other grassroots organizations such as the

Community Development Committees (CAC) and community networks (RECO);

- Increase alerts based on verified and substantiated information. We need inroads

into the community;

- Advocate for improvement of health infrastructure, combat lack of sanitation in the

facilities, ensure good quality nursing staff, and push CODESAs for more efficiency in the health sector. ”

Regarding discussions between authorities and institutions at all levels as to the effectiveness of decentralization, respondents note that there is still a tendency to centralize: there are always actions driven by decisions taken in Kinshasa. They consider that “in the framework of awareness-raising, there are things that can be generated locally instead of importing them from Kinshasa or elsewhere. For example, production of banners at local level; broadcasts always come from the national level, but we can do this at provincial level; the provincial health division, health zones and health areas also have the same problems.”

However, “There really is engagement, a good collaboration between the health workers and the ETD authorities. It is the State that negotiates and launches the vaccination and mosquito net distribution campaigns. The Mayor collaborates much more with the health zones. Generally, the provincial government provides the health zones with vehicles and the motorcycles, and communicates on epidemics in that province. The central government’s role is primarily payment of caregivers”

Women’s initiatives in the health sector focus mainly on raising awareness of family planning, prenatal care. However, women are poorly represented in decision making roles. Some authorities do accept and collaborate with women leaders on health issues.

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Local elections would give an even more concrete dimension to decentralization, because elected authorities would be accountable to the people. "Authorities will fear the people who elected them, who demand administrative transparency“. “And if we have elected councilors, Mayors and Bourgmestres, the notion of accountability will help boost development in the health sector. The authorities will be elected on the basis of their manifesto.”

7.2 Education

7.2.1. Education providers

In the education sector, under the banner of decentralization, several educational subdivisions were created to bring administrators closer to citizens; subsequently the number of schools was increased. Other advantages include reports being swiftly transmitted to the authorities, as well as feedback; the availability of inspectors for monitoring schools has improved; and there is a greater number of teaching coordinators and advisers.

Thus, communication between the grassroots and the authorities becomes easier. School principals communicate with authorities more easily, and there are more examination centers. For example, in Butembo there were 4 centers (ITAV, Kambali, Malkia and Katwa) and today there are more than 10.

However, again in the name of decentralization, to meet the growing need for education providers there is widespread cronyism in the job recruitment process, favoring employment of activists/political supporters of the authorities without going through a competitive selection process. Competitive ranking is no longer used. This explains the recruitment of under qualified teachers: even for the supervision of EXETAT, non-teachers are recruited.

In this context, education providers hope that teachers' unions that channel certain employee complaints will fulfil their role of defending teachers' interests. They must however be retrained/ trained in line with their objectives.

In terms of interactions with the authorities, education providers need the support and guidance of ETD authorities to carry out major school projects, which must be included in the development plans of these administrative entities.

7.2.2. Communities/beneficiaries

The beneficiaries of education services also agree with the advantages of decentralization. Results of the National End of Primary Studies Test (TENAFEP) are published after 4 days; certificates are also issued after a few days whereas before decentralization the waiting time was longer.

Indeed, these are the advantages of autonomy at grassroots level; accessibility to the service and decision-making is at the local level, thanks to the legal nature of the decentralized structure or entity.

In terms of expectations, beneficiaries believe that with the necessary resources, decentralization offers the best method of involving parents of students, and of stimulating their engagement in the development of nearby schools.

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8. Conclusions

8.1 Overview This analysis of Economic Policy (PEA), completed in Kinshasa (central) and South Kivu and North Kivu (provincial and local) showed that decentralization is irreversibly happening in DRC, even though it is necessary to continue and strengthen its implementation.

Decentralized sectoral structures, such as the Provincial Divisions of Health and Education exist and function just as Decentralized Territorial Entities (ETD). High level political institutions like newly elected provincial assemblies and recently installed provincial governments operate in the current context of reform of decentralization.

However, the effectiveness of decentralized entities and structures is still negatively affected, on the one hand, by a certain nostalgic and persistent tendency to centralize control at a higher level despite the transfer of powers and duties; on the other hand, by the dynamics of suspicion, perceived conflicts of interest between the various stakeholders. These conflicts also are rooted in the gaps, ambiguities and confusion, voluntary or involuntary, surrounding each one’s remit which generate misunderstanding in the interpretation and application of laws and regulations.

Analysis shows that all the problems that arise from implementation of decentralization laws and regulations are due to the unilateral approach adopted in drafting such laws and regulations.

At the national Ministry of Health – even if it transpired that the General Secretariat, using its various services, develops standards and manages the administration, while the General Inspectorate monitors the implementation, research and recognizes irregularities – conflicts and misunderstandings as well as suspicion and mistrust would not have emerged if the main stakeholders had adopted an inclusive and participatory approach, even through consultations or informal dialogues.

For example, it is obvious that the law on basic principles for the organization of public health was initiated and drafted by the General Secretariat of Health without consultation with the General Inspectorate of Health, let alone the provincial health ministries.

The role of DPS would never have been the subject of controversy and conflicts due to the presence of an Inspection and Control Office within the IPS, if wide prior consultation had helped dispel any duplication of skills between the two structures.

This DPS and that of PROVED should have had the same prior consultations, even informally, with provincial Ministers concerned in order to avoid misunderstandings such as those noted and currently denounced. Provincial Ministers are considered ‘redundant’, compared to the leaders of DPS and PROVED, by the Secretaries General of both Health and EPST. They are tolerated by Secretaries General who gives them the label of "political advisor to the Governor" on Health or Education.

Given the inefficiency, indeed the conflict-generating nature, of this non-participatory and necessarily exclusive approach as mentioned, this PEA proposes the formulation of various recommendations for implementation following a multi-stakeholder approach, both horizontal and vertical.

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Indeed, USAID IGA in the implementation of these recommendations through the identified programmatic path, could bring together all the major stakeholders of the Health and Education Sector, at all levels of governance.

This is to avoid the fruitless pattern of confrontation or isolation along the lines of central level against/ or without provincial, or provincial level against/or without local level, or vice versa.

8.2 Findings

8.2.1 Provincial assemblies

a. They are under-funded – deputies have not been paid for 10 months

b. The quality of the Deputies is very low: they seem to have little

understanding of their role or that of provincial government.

c. Administrative services within the assemblies are very poor.

8.2.2 Provincial government

d. Governors have a very powerful role, even going so far as to appoint

technical staff.

e. The inherent anomaly of a centralized civil service and decentralized

political structure has not been resolved.

f. The powers and duties of provincial sectoral ministers vis-à- vis policy

in their province appears to be limited to management of human

resources and prioritizing activities (provided that they fall within the

national policy).

g. Provinces do not have the funds necessary to fulfil their role. The

retrocession system does not work.

8.2.3 Technical services

h. The apparent conflict between IPS and DPS’s Bureau d’Inspection et

Contrôle (BIC) needs to be resolved, and Nord-Kivu can apply the

findings of the legal opinion being sought in Sud-Kivu when they are

completed.

i. Neither of the IPSs in the two provinces are receiving funds from

central government, and survive only thanks to limited and specific

donor funding. The question remains whether it should be saved or

terminated.

j. The non-local policy is working relatively well, but there are difficulties.

k. Kinshasa abuses its power with its greater access to finance, for

example by procuring goods in Kinshasa that could be sourced within

the provinces.

l. The free school fees policy has caused many problems that need to

be addressed urgently. One of them is a prohibition against parents

donating funds for improvements to buildings or services which has

killed projects arising out of the score card recovery plans.

8.2.4 Local government and civil society

m. ETDs suffer from the fact that payment of retrocession funds in

irregular and insufficient.

n. There is strong support in Butembo, and successful examples of,

PPPs.

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8.3 Recommendations In the coming months, USAID IGA should consider taking the following actions:

• Undertake training with the ETDs, FEC and civil society in Butembo on PPPs.

• Work with FEC Butembo to identify suitable PPPs

• Conduct review with education officials (Minister of Education, PROVED,

sous-PROVEDs, school principals and civil society) regarding the impact of

the free schooling policy.

• Work with the CTAD, Ministry of Finance, Ministry of Budget and Provincial

Counterparts to review the retrocession system and propose changes.

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Annexes

1. Major actors and level of power and influence

2. Guides for interviews with individuals and focus groups.

3. Bibliography

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Annex 1

Major actors and level of power and influence

In Kinshasa, the research team met the following major actors to follow and / or

who could be decisive for the rest of the process:

The Secretary General of the Ministry of Health, Dr Sylvain Yuma Ramazani. (Powerful influence with the Minister and the Vice-Minister, interested in and with a favorable attitude to consensual solutions in the governance of the health sector ) The Secretary General of the Ministry of EPST, Mr. Jean Marie Mangobe, (Very powerful with a great deal of influence especially with PROVEDs. Has a skeptical attitude to decentralization and favors the policy of assigning non-native PROVEDs to the provinces (PROVED). This can certainly be explained by his past as Director General of SECOPE) The Inspector General of Health, Mr. Kombo Djeko. (Great theoretical power but no significant influence. Much willingness and wants to strengthen its structure at both central and provincial level) The Inspector General of EPST, Mr. Michel Djamba Kaombe (Powerful, influential but eager for support in order to strengthen its structure and its leaders). The National Coordinator of the National Consultation Framework of Civil Society of the DRC (CCNSC-DRC), Mr. Patient Bashombe Matabishi. (Leader of one of the civil society platforms with a base in all 26 provinces; Elected in this capacity thanks to his previous exemplary commitment in South Kivu). The National Coordinator of the National Coalition for Education for All (CONEPT), member of the Education Thematic Group of the CCNSC-DRC, Mr. Jacques Tshimbalanga. (Very committed to education issues; organized and methodical; with dynamic correspondents in some provinces) The Team Leader of the Health thematic group of the CCNSC-DRC. Mr. Jean Marie Tshibanda (Veteran of citizen engagement and technically qualified on issues of health and associative governance) The Chairman of the Senate Relations Committee on Provincial Institutions and Decentralized Entities, Hon. Senator Dr. Jean Pierre Lola Kisanga. (From his experience as a doctor and former Governor of the Haut Uele Province he is a staunch defender of decentralization. He has expressed his interest and willingness to carry the recommendations of the PEA with regard to the Senate).

In Bukavu, South Kivu

The research team met the following major players:

The Provincial Minister of Health, Cosmos Bishisha. (Very concerned about the lack of effectiveness of decentralization, and governance dysfunctions at national and provincial levels. He understands that both sectors are essential for the development of the province)

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The Provincial Minister of EPST, Ms. Geneviève Mizumbi Namutondo. (Not very committed and seems more political than technical, she lets PROVED and the National Minister manage all files) The Acting Head of the Provincial Health Division (DPS), Dr. Gaston Lubambo. (Very technical, but careful because he is Acting. Relatively limited influence). The Provincial Health Inspector (IPS), Dr Lomoyo Wanang'o Lome. (Very open but cautious since he suffered direct threats from the Director of the Governor's Cabinet following his opposition to an irregular decision by the Governor assigning personnel to the IPS. His status as an outsider makes him vulnerable and he says he is "stuck " between the DPS on the one hand and the Governor and his provincial minister on the other, all from South Kivu ). The Head of the Provincial Division of EPST (PROVED), Mr Jean Pierre Yoy Bateka. (Very sure of himself and his influence, he is more linked to the national ministry than to the provincial). The Principal Provincial Inspector (IPP), Mr. Tembo Kevandi. (Very dependent on the PROVED of which he considers himself a technical service while claiming to collaborate with him horizontally. This dependence is so strong that during the first contact with a view to interview, he demanded that the team meet with PROVED first. He addressed the National Minister via the Inspector General of EPST in Kinshasa. He said he was placed at the disposal of the Governor.) The Rapporteur of the Provincial Assembly, Mr. Jacques Kamanda. (Very open and requesting capacity building for members of the Assembly for a better understanding of the fundamentals of decentralization). The Bourgmestre of Commune of Bagira, Mr. Patience Bengehya. (Former provincial president of the National Commission of Human Rights, recently appointed Bourgmestre on contract, he is open and takes many initiatives including field trips in his jurisdiction. This allows him to have good relations with all the stakeholders of the Commune). The Provincial Minister of Finance, Mrs. Marie Jeanne Zihalirwa Barhasima. (Very technical on public finance issues, less pessimistic than her colleague from the Ministry of Budget on decentralization. Very attached to better governance of the sector with innovative resource mobilization initiatives with use of new technologies in revenue collection) The Provincial Minister of Planning, Budget and Relations with Partners, Mr. Rodin Aochi Isombelo. (Very critical of the centralizing reflex of the central government, which does not retrocede the 40% of those levied in the province. which, for him, is “a form of fraud”. He encourages the rationalization of the tax code at all levels, which until now seems to “only constitute a means of supplying the national level by stripping the provinces".)

The Groupe Thématique Education du Cadre de Concertation Provincial de la Société civile de la RDC, Mr. Jean Pierre Buledi. (Former partner of PBG whose achievements he continues to perpetuate through various activities, in particular with the Provincial Assembly including making preliminary

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proposals for edicts, parliamentary follow-up through legislative hearings especially in the education sector). Nouvelle Société Civile du Congo New Civil Society of Congo (NSSC), Cosmas Mugongo. (Favorable: has good contacts within civil society engaged on education issues. He collaborates with the Provincial Assembly and the ministries but so far without success) Le Nouvelle Dynamique de la Société civile Indépendante (NDSCI) en RDC, Mr. Jean Chrisostome Kijana. (Very open and committed, interested in collaboration with other national civil society platforms. It is one of the rare national platforms for this purpose, present in 8 provinces, with the national headquarters in Bukavu). The Provincial President of ANAPECO (Association Nationale des Parents d’Elèves du Congo), Mr. Deogracias Mushamarha. (The provincial representative of a well-structured organization. He is committed to the partnership with the Ministry of EPST and its services. It fights in particular illegal fees. Contributions come from municipal committees and parents of pupils. This allows it to participate even in multi-stakeholder meetings organized even in Kinshasa)

In Goma, North Kivu

The Chief of Staff of the Provincial Ministry of Health, Dr Gabriel Ndungu Nzalamingi. (On behalf of his minister, who was on mission, he thinks that the decentralization sector is not yet well decentralized. The ministry is ready for any strategic partnership to increase the effectiveness of the decentralization of the health sector in the province ). The Provincial Minister of Mines and Finance, David Kamuha Musubaho. (Former expert of the “Profit-Congo” Project, he is in the front line in favor of alternative mechanisms for mobilizing own resources and innovative modes of financing. He said it was wrong to count on the resources which come irregularly from the retrocession, because for him, the provinces have been abandoned by the State, which is limited only to Kinshasa in the allocation of resources. He is open to strategic partnerships to help the provinces to maximize their own resources. The fact that he also manages the mines portfolio places him in a strategic position to develop modes of finance linked to mining royalties and the social responsibility of mining companies). Roger Pigeon Mahuka, Coordinator of the Study Office of the Provincial Assembly, Dean of the Faculty of Law of the University of Goma. (He calls for capacity building of provincial deputies in legal science, decentralization and budgeting. He is also willing to provide training. (45 out of 48 are novices). Hon. Elie Nzahani, President of the AABC Parliamentary Group/Parliamentary Majority. (He deplores the lack of interaction between senators and the provincial deputies. He is a fervent defender of the performance of the Provincial Government). Hon. Kakule Sisita, President of the MS/Opposition in the Lamuka parliamentary group. (Very critical of the ineffectiveness of decentralization. He is doubts that there is any progress by central government in granting the provincial government the necessary resources for operations and investments in

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basic sectors such as health and education. No parliamentary initiatives are in sight to change the situation, because there are always blockages on the part of the majority). The Provincial Minister of Budget, Planning and Stabilization, Mr. Joseph Sebagisha Rubera, (He is very annoyed that the budget of the province is not adapted to mobilize resources and that the resources retroceded from Kinshasa only come irregularly and not at the expected time, which makes him say that "the provinces are played with". The Provincial Inspector of Health, Dr Marcel Makengo Kibondo. (Very annoyed by the conflicts of jurisdiction between him and the DPS. But he takes the opportunity to correct this situation and affirms its availability to contribute to the search for a solution. He requires substantial resources for the IPS in order to prevent its teams from being corruptible during inspection and oversight missions). Acting Head of the Provincial Health Division (DPS), Dr Cyrille Ngandjo. (Prudent and formalist. The incumbent whose 5-year contract has already expired is still in office and is on assignment in Matadi for a seminar). The Hon Vice-President of the Provincial Assembly of North Kivu, Jean-Paul Lumbulumbu Mutanava, (Lawyer and former leader of civil society, he appears more and more as the eminence grise of the provincial assembly. He was also the Provincial Coordinator of IFES for North Kivu and participated in many trainings organized by the previous USAID projects (BRDG, PBG, etc). His political party is a member of the FCC-CACH coalition). The President of FEC Butembo-Lubero , Polycarp Ndivito Kikwaya. (DAI partner in previous programs, very committed towards seeking win-win partnerships between the private sector and decentralized entities. He is Chairman of the Board of COEIDL (Contribution des Opérateurs Economiques aux Initiatives de Développement Local) that has the expertise to support research into innovative finance for decentralized sectors). Abbot Aurélien Kambale RUKWATA, Director of the Diocesan Justice and Peace Commission (CDJP) of Butembo. (Lawyer by training, specializing in civic and electoral education, having contributed considerably to the organization of the citizen vote in December 2018 following the postponement of the elections due to insecurity there for over 6 years. He considers that administrative decentralization should be preceded by judicial and security decentralization). Professor Doctor Sylvain Munyanga Mukungo, Rector of the University of Goma. (Specialist in the decentralization of the health sector, former Director of the School of public health in Kinshasa, he has long collaborated with USAID and US scientists in the management of its health services in the DRC). Professor Angélus MAFIKIRI TSONGO, Rector of the Catholic University of Graben. (Partner of DAI in its previous projects, endowed with leadership and proven experience in the implementation of projects in favor of populations, particularly in the area of basic infrastructure such as bridges).

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Adkaku Dawa Yose, PROVED, Head of Division of the North Kivu Educational Province 2 based in Butembo. (A good example for policy of employing from outside the province and peaceful collaboration with all stakeholders in the education sector.)

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Annex 2 Guidelines for interviews with individuals and focus groups.

Government officials (National and provincial levels)

1- Determine where the support and interventions are most necessary to

make decentralized entities, in the field of health and education, more

effective and analyze how the dynamics between the two key centers of

power (political at the provincial level vs Technical and financial from

Kinshasa) play for these entities in the aforementioned sectors.

1.1- Who are the main institutional actors and power centers at the provincial

level and how do they interact? including the provincial representatives of

the main ministries (Health, Education, Finance, Planning,

etc.)?

1.2- Are there conflicts in the daily administration of these sectors? If so, what

is the nature of these conflicts?

1.3- How do the dynamics between the local, provincial and national levels

play in the promotion or reduction of these conflicts? What are the

formal/informal procedures or mechanisms that impact these

dynamics?

1.4- What is the impact of the interventions at the national

level?

1.5- What are the de jure and de facto roles of National Ministers, their Secretaries General, Inspectors General and other senior officials as well

as National Deputies and Senators before Provincial Governors, Ministers

and Provincial Deputies, the Heads of Provincial Divisions, the Provincial

Health Inspectors and the EPST?

2- What are the advantages and disadvantages of decentralizing public

services and what are the advantages in relation to the control of

public services at the provincial level? What are the risks?

2.1- What are the initiatives by communities or civil society organizations to

monitor the functioning and governance of these two public

services? How effective are they? Are they accepted by official actors? Are they allowed to play their roles?

2.2- In the context of free education advocated by the President of the

Republic, what do you think is necessary to ensure the long-term support

for human resources, management costs, and the construction and

rehabilitation of schools?

2.3- What are the regulations that currently govern teachers, and what

innovation should be included in the bill on the special status of teachers,

awaiting adoption by Parliament since the previous legislature (in relation

to the provincial civil service)?

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3. Which actors can be considered as champions for reform,

particularly to increase transparency and accountability in the

management of public services?

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National and Provincial MPs

1- Where is support most necessary to make decentralized entities more

efficient. What are the dynamics between the two key centers of

power (political at the provincial level vs. technical and financial

from Kinshasa) in relation to the health and education sectors.

1.1- How does the Provincial or National Assembly (as the case may be),

through its organs, interact with the Provincial government, other public

services and the communities they serve to make decentralized entities in

health and education more efficient?

1.2- What is the current role and level of performance of the Provincial or

National Assembly (as the case may be) in the fields of health and

education since the start of the current legislature?

1.3- What was the level of national or provincial budget allocations in

health and EPST sectors in 2020 compared to the last year of the

previous legislature? (Obtain a copy of the prov. 2018, 2019 and 2020

budget). What are the mechanisms for citizen control of the provincial

budget?

1.4- What justifies a possible increase or decrease between the two

periods? What are the main allocations of these respective budget

allocations?

1.5- Do the Provincial Assembly and the Provincial Government develop a

strategy for mobilizing provincial and local resources specific to ETDs and

the province?

2- What are the advantages and disadvantages in the field of

decentralization of public services and what would be the

advantages for provincial control over public services? What are the

risks?

2.1- During this legislature, were there any legislative initiatives or actions by communities and civil society organizations to monitor the functioning and governance of health and education? How effective were they? Have they been accepted by official actors and allowed to play their role? 2.2- In the context of the free education advocated by the President of the Republic, what do you think is necessary to ensure the long-term support for human resources, management costs, and the construction and rehabilitation of schools? 2.3- Since the law which currently governs teachers is obsolete and unsuitable, what can your parliamentary group or standing committee do to encourage the adoption of a bill on the special status of teachers, awaiting adoption by Parliament since the previous legislature?

3- Which actors can be considered as champions of the cause of

reforms, particularly to increase transparency and accountability in

the management of public services?

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Civil society leaders

1. What initiatives have been taken by civil society to increase efficiency

(whether with the central or provincial government, the Provincial or

National Assembly, or the Senate) or to monitor the interactions between

central and provincial governments (through their services) in delivery of

services by the health and education sectors? Are these initiatives accepted

by official actors and are CSOs allowed to easily play their role, especially in

advocacy?

2. Has civil society aimed to influence the performance of the Provincial or

National Assembly and the Central or Provincial government in health and

education since the start of the current legislature? (Discuss the level of

national/provincial budget allocations in the health and EPST sectors in 2020

compared to the last year of the previous legislature?) (Obtain a copy of the

budget for 2018, 2019 and 2020).

3. Who are the individuals or organizations in civil society that can

champion the cause of reform, particularly to increase transparency and

accountability in the management of the health and education sectors?

4. Would it be possible for civil society to work with the provincial government and ETDs to develop a strategy for mobilizing provincial and

local resources for them? How can this be done, if it has not yet been

done? Are there initiatives aimed at establishing innovative financing methods

with a view to increasing provincial resources?

5. Which actors can be considered as champions of the cause of reforms,

particularly to increase transparency and accountability in the management of

public services?

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Framework for leading Focus groups Standard introduction Thank you for accepting our invitation. My name is……. I am a consultant and I work for DAI, an organization that implements the USAID Integrated Governance Activity which aims to improve the decentralization process in the health and education sectors. It is within this framework that we carry out an analysis on the impact (positive or negative) of interactions, relations and dynamics between on the one hand the central government and its various central services in Kinshasa and on the other hand, the Provincial governments and their decentralized (or deconcentrated) services in the provinces on the efficiency of decentralized territorial entities in the delivery of public services in the aforementioned sectors of Health and Education. To this end, we are consulting all the actors involved in this decentralization process, including the citizens and the service providers, to obtain your opinions, opinions, impressions and perceptions; and collect your views and recommendations regarding the any problems or challenges identified.This is the subject of today's interview that I will facilitate. Thanks to your participation. Modalities To do this:

1. Rest assured, all answers are welcome in the sense that there is no right or wrong answer, and it is useful and desired that everyone express themselves freely.

2. Thank you for expressing yourself in your own language or in French.

3. If you don't agree with others, that's okay. On the contrary, you can enrich the discussion with different arguments.

4. It is a discussion to collect your opinions on a situation of national,

provincial or local interest, as citizens.

5. Your name is not going to be mentioned. For the sake of our discussion we'll give you a number instead.

6. Please, however, mention your gender, your profession, your province

and your place of residence just for the purposes of analyzing the elements of our discussion.

7. The discussions will be recorded for the purposes of our report.

Obviously your names will not be indicated since they are unknown.

8. We therefore ask you to speak in a sufficiently audible and clear manner so that your words are properly recorded.

My colleague here is called …………………………. He takes notes for the

report.

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Focus groups with public service providers

Preliminary remarks

(To remind participants of the basics and to outline the discussion on decentralization in the current context) Since 2006, decentralization has been adopted in the DRC as a mode of management of public affairs at the provincial and local level in the sense that the central government is supposed to transfer part of its powers, responsibilities and finance to provinces and decentralized territorial entities, in short ETDs (such as your Ville, Commune, Secteur or Chefferie) which have a legal personality. The provinces and ETDs therefore have the capacity to organize themselves in order to be able to mobilize and manage their own human, material and financial resources in order to deliver basic public services to meet the needs of the communities, especially in the sectors of Health and Education, matters whose management is formally transferred by the central government to these different lower levels of power. However, in this process of decentralization of the health and education sectors which encounters many difficulties, the service providers are the ones who implement the benefits of this decentralization through improvements to the quality management of the services delivered. An understanding of nature of these challenges by public service providers also constitutes a factor for the efficiency and effectiveness of the decentralization. Hence the need to collect and analyze your perception, your motivations and your underlying feelings through focus groups. They are an opportunity for exchanges, sharing, interactions and enrichment of ideas with all of you, men and women, who are providers of public services in the …………… sector. (Health or education).

Questions (Before starting the discussion, ask if anyone has any questions about the above explanations)

1. From your experience in your ETD and in the Province where you work, what are the advantages, disadvantages or even risks, of decentralization in the delivery of services to local communities? Explain how and why.

2. What are your expectations of the effects of the transfer of skills and resources from the central government to the provinces and ETDs in relation to the quality of the services delivered and the local management of the health and education sectors ? Give details, specific examples.

51

3. Regarding women service providers specifically, are there any particular concerns in the decentralization of your sector (Health or Education)? Explain how and why.

4. What role do you think your various trade unions can play in defending your interests in the context of decentralization and in order to substantially advance the reform and the decentralization process? Explain how with more details or examples. What can be done to reduce any flaws or weaknesses in this situation?

5. What do you think of the way in which the central government, the provincial government, the Provincial Assembly and the authorities of your ETD collaborate (or not) for the effectiveness of decentralization for the benefit of you as a public service provider. Explain how and why.

Congratulations on your participation and your responses as well as your

contributions!

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Focus groups with communities, users of public services

Preliminary remarks (To remind participants of the basics and to circumscribe the discussion on decentralization in the current context) Since 2006, decentralization has been adopted in the DRC as a mode of management of public affairs at the provincial and local level in the sense that the central government is supposed to transfer part of its powers, responsibilities and finance to provinces and decentralized territorial entities, in short ETDs (such as your Ville, Commune, Secteur or Chefferie) which have a legal personality. The provinces and ETDs therefore have the capacity to organize themselves in order to be able to mobilize and manage their own human, material and financial resources in order to deliver basic public services to meet the needs of the communities, especially in the sectors of Health and Education, matters whose management is formally transferred by the central government to these different lower levels of power. However, in this process of decentralization of the health and education sectors which encounters many difficulties, the service providers are the ones who implement the benefits of this decentralization through improvements to the quality management of the services delivered. An understanding of nature of these challenges by public service providers also constitutes a factor for the efficiency and effectiveness of the decentralization. Hence the need to collect and analyze the perception, motivations, underlying feelings, and experiences through focus groups, an opportunity for exchanges, interactions and enrichment of ideas with members of the community, users of public services, men and women together. Questions (Before starting the discussion, ask if anyone has any questions about the above explanations)

1. From your experience in your locality, ETD, and in your Province, what are the advantages, disadvantages or risks of the decentralization of the sectors of health and education in the delivery of services to local communities? Explain how and why.

2. What are your expectations and your understanding of the transfer of skills, resources and responsibilities, from the central government to the provinces and the ETDs, concerning the delivery of health and educational services? Give specific examples.

3. What role do you think community leaders and civil society organizations can play in lifting the lethargy and gaining more political will from rulers at the central, provincial and local levels, and to substantially advance development and reform of the decentralization process? Explain with details or examples.

4. What is your perception of the way in which the central government, the provincial government as well as the Provincial Assembly and the authorities of your ETD collaborate or not for the effectiveness of the

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decentralization of health and education services in the interest of your communities? Explain how and why.

5. With regard to women, are there specific initiatives in your ETD to sensitize, monitor and demand progress in this decentralization reform? What are their strengths and weaknesses? And how do you address weaknesses? Do the authorities agree to collaborate with the leaders of these initiatives? If not, why not?

6. In your opinion, what impact could local elections have on the effectiveness of ETDS in the delivery of health or education services?

Congratulations on your participation and your answers as well as your contributions!

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Annex 3

Bibliography

Official documents

- Constitution de la Republique Democratique du Congo du 18 février 2006

telle que modifiée par la loi n°11/002 du 20 janvier 2011 portant révision de

certains articles de la Constitution ;

- Loi n°08/012 du 31 juillet 2008 portant principes fondamentaux relatifs à la

libre administration des provinces ;

- Loi organique n°08/016 du 07 octobre 2008 portant composition,

organisation et fonctionnement des Entités Territoriales Décentralisées et

leurs rapports avec l’Etat et les provinces ;

- Arrêté ministériel n°033 du 25 juillet 2008 portant organisation et

fonctionnement de la Cellule technique d’Appui à la Décentralisation

(CTAD) ;

- Loi n°18/35 du 13 décembre 2018 fixant les principes fondamentaux relatifs

à l’organisation de la Santé Publique ;

- Ordonnance-loi n18/004 du 13 mars 2018 fixant la nomenclature des

impôts, droits, taxes et redevances de la province et de l’entité territoriale

décentralisée ainsi que les modalités de leur répartition.

Studies

- B. Brachet, Le système fiscal français, 5ème édition, LGDJ, Paris, 1990,

p.187

- D. Déom et C. Thiebaut, La décentralisation et l’autonomie financière en

Belgique, in La mise en œuvre de la décentralisation : Etude comparée,

France, Belgique, Canada, Bruxelles, Bruylant, 2006, p 348

- D. Kubler et J. de Maillard, Analyser les politiques publiques, Presses

Universitaires de Grenoble (France), 2012.

- E. Boshab et G. Matadi Nenga, Le Statut de représentants du Peuple

dans les Assemblées politiques délibérantes. Parlementaires, députés

provinciaux, Conseillers urbains, Conseillers communaux, Conseillers de

secteurs ou de chefferie. Bruylant-Academia, Louvain-La-Neuve

(Belgique), 2010.

- F. Diangitukwa, Gouvernance, Action publique et Démocratie participative.

Chemins vers de nouveaux mode de régulation sociale. Monde

Nouveau/Afrique Nouvelle, Saint-Légier (Suisse), 2011.

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- G. Ndjoli Bompe, La décentralisation fiscale en République Démocratique

du Congo. Editions Droit et Sociétés « DES », Kinshasa, 2018.

- P. Brechon (dir), Enquêtes qualitatives, enquêtes quantitatives, Presses

Universitaires de Grenoble (France), 2011.

- P. Fonkoua et L. Marmoz, La décentralisation de l’éducation en Afrique

subsaharienne, Avancées et hésitations, Cahiers africains de recherche en

éducation, n°7, l’Harmattan, 2016.

Mean scores

Below is the mean score of the mean scores achieved by the health centers in each of the ETDs

sampled. The narrow range of the results suggests that there is no major cause for concern.

Means: best to worst

Katoka 3.78

Kolwezi 3.75

Katuba 3.74

Walungu 3.45

Likasi 3.38

Bipemba 3.34

Ndesha 3.31

Kabare 3.30

Kadutu 3.18

Bakwa Kalonji 3.14

A place of refuge, help, support, care

and hope for these patients who need

affection as much as therapeutic care.

SUCCESS STORIES

Community generosity in action

Health care workers and nurses in the Kalonji Sud health center have long

since witnessed distress experienced by mothers walking for hours to reach

the health center and unable to return home the same day. A nurse

representative from the health center raised the issue at a Comité de

Développement Sanitaire (CODESA) meeting seeking solutions for the women,

including not only a place to stay, but also somewhere to cook and store

possessions while attending the health center.

The solution put forth was to build a hut, large enough for several women

to sleep and cook. This solution was also to include someone to manage the

hut ensuring it would be clean and welcoming.

USAID IGA’s non-governmental organization (NGO) partner for health

in Bakwa Kalonji, BOLINGO, was brought in to assist in operationalizing the

agreed upon solution. The partner NGO helped with fundraising and

organizing the construction. The health center offered approximately $30,

and the community raised $90, enough to build a simple hut from traditional

materials. BOLINGO also offered to help manage the construction. They

convened meetings to help raise funds and donations of building materials and

hired masons to build the walls using adobe bricks. The women CODESA

members offered to manage the hut.

The hut, with a floor area of about 12 square meters (120 square feet), is

now used by up to six women per night and up to ten or cooking during the

day. There are plans to enlarge the structure and upgrade the construction

in permanent materials when funds permit.

The physical product of this initiative is modest but provides refuge to its

beneficiaries who are immensely grateful that a community gave of its own

resources to help individuals from outside their area.

As USAID IGA’s Provincial Manager stated, “The mothers' hut should not

be perceived as being this thatched hut with beaten earth walls, but rather

an organization and even a philosophy. It is a symbol of welcome, of hospitality to

those who come from distant villages not knowing anyone. It is a place of refuge,

help, support, care and hope for these patients who need affection as much as

therapeutic care.”

Samples were taken from the users of

schools and health centers and

surveys administered by phone.

The users of health centers and schools had

a chance to evaluate the service they

received.

SUCCESS STORIES

Survey adaptation

GeoPoll undertakes surveys across many countries, typically through SMS

to mobile phone technology as a mode of data collection. As a sub-contractor

to USAID DRC Integrated Governance Activity (IGA), GeoPoll has

conducted surveys on the local government, health and education sectors

since February 2018.

Sampling as part of these surveys is complex and has faced numerous

challenges. For example, the initial sample had a disproportionate

representation of men and young people, mirroring the ownership of mobile

phones. While this was corrected, further challenges included issues around

the low probability that respondents surveyed had visited and accessed an

IGA-supported school or health center. For example, there are typically

about 35 health centers and about 225 primary schools in each local

government’s decentralized territorial entity (ETD) boundary. With a sample

of 200 respondents in each ETD, the chances of a respondent experiencing

change in a USAID IGA partner school or health center would be negligible.

To correct this, samples were collected from individuals accessing the

facilities concerned. Schools provided the phone number of the parents, and

patients at health centers were asked to provide their phone numbers. To

enhance the value of the survey, computer-assisted telephone interviewing

(CATI) was used for the education and healthy surveys, while continuing with

SMS data collection for the local government surveys.

This approach was welcomed by schools, but concerns expressed

regarding the collection of data from patients at health centers and whether

it was permitted by the Ministry of Public Health’s ethics committee, or in

alignment with privacy rules. However, discussions with health officials and

health center staff made it clear that provided: (a) Only phone numbers were

collected, with no names, and (b) The questions were about the service they

received and not their health, there would be no objection. With this, USAID

IGA collected 2,485 phone numbers for schools and 2,048 for health centers.

The CATI survey methodology for schools and health centers required

interviewer training. The training included mock interviews, and practicing

entering data in the GeoPoll CATI Tool. In instances where the questionnaire

was to be conducted in multiple languages, call operators practiced in each of

the languages. At the end of the training, operators made test calls with actual

respondents.

The strengths of the CATI approach include interviewers being able to

speak directly to beneficiaries, rather than engaging via SMS. Respondents

were given an option to initially opt in to the survey, but if they chose not to

participate the call was ended. If the respondent did not answer, the number

would be called a minimum of five times before considering the number as

exhausted.

Each interviewer had a survey script. This ensured operators did not skip

questions or leave out important messages. Each section of survey script

included the relevant data entry field so that operators could input

respondent answers in real time. When each survey was completed, data was

automatically stored for analysis and quality assurance review. The dialer

system then automatically generated the next phone number for the operator

to call. As the surveys were administered, the call center manager monitored

the progress to ensure that the surveys were completed in accordance with

established quality control measures.

drc integrated governance activity (iga)

Documents