CROSSING THE BOULEVARD IN KINSHASA BY FOOT

Sometimes small incidents make you think about big things. My big thought for today is that no one and I mean no one will respect Africans if they do not respect themselves. The government of Congo conveys its disdain for its people in countless ways on a daily basis. This in turn leads to the failure of the Congolese themselves to respect each other.

The small thing that led to this big thought? --- Crossing the street in Kinshasa.

Sometime back the Chinese Government reached an agreement with the Congolese government for the former to provide support to the latter for infrastructure development. One of the big infrastructure development efforts is road reconstruction which includes the widening of the main road in Kinshasa - 30th of June Street (avenue 30 juin en francaise).

After cutting down the old, majestic trees that had helped this city to cling to the last remaining vestiges of its former glory and stunning beauty, the Chinese began to reconstruct the road in the most unsafe manner conceivable. Where there had been barriers between the inbound and outbound traffic, there are none now. There are also no speed limits and few working traffic lights and traffic police who are not always on the job. What has this led to? -- Hundreds of pedestrian deaths and injuries.

This past week, I almost became one of those statistics when attempting to cross 30 juin to get from the bank to the grocery store after a traffic police instructed the traffic to go just as I was crossing the street!! And I have seen many near fatalities as pedestrians- from kids in school uniforms to the slow moving elderly- take their life into their hands as they attempt to make their way across a street that has become a speedway despite the many businesses and pedestrians along this road.

This for me is a huge sign of disrespect to the Congolese people. In western countries where road construction is underway, we put safety measures in place to minimize pedestrian and/auto casualties. The Congolese people deserve nothing less.

What kind of international negotiating partner are the Chinese if they are not doing the work that they promised in a way that is respectful of the Congolese people?

Does anyone have the answer to that question?