DRC: When President Félix Tshisekedi praises the IGF in the fight against embezzlement

Having come to power in 2019, President Felix Tshisekedi has made the fight against corruption and financial embezzlement his hobbyhorse. In 2020, he appointed Jules Alingete Key as head of the Inspectorate General of Finance to scrutinise the country’s public finances.

As a candidate for his own succession, Félix Tshisekedi once again praised the work of the Inspectorate General of Finances (IGF) during his first five years at the helm of the Democratic Republic of Congo, during his appearance on the «Election Campaign Programme» programme organised by the Superior Council of Audiovisual and Communication (CSAC).

He praised the fact that it was under his reign that the government mobilised more public revenue thanks to the fight against misappropriation of public funds led by the IGF, a department attached to the Presidency of the Republic.

«We are the regime that has mobilised the most resources, which means that we have reduced the misappropriation of public funds, because if we have a budget of 16 billion, it means that we have worked to curb this. The Inspectorate General of Finance, to which I gave regalian powers, has done an enormous amount of work, very appreciable work. The Inspectorate General of Finance did exist, but it was an empty shell. Today, thanks to its Inspector General, Jules Alingete Key, we have made progress, we have succeeded in curbing a lot of mismanagement», said a delighted Félix Tshisekedi, who is standing as a candidate for his own succession.

Since the accession of Félix Tshisekedi to the supreme magistracy and the appointment of Jules Alingete Key as head of this public service attached to the Presidency of the Republic, the Inspectorate General of Finance has made the fight against embezzlement and financial misappropriation a priority in order to combat the anti-values entrenched in public institutions, a task that has been hailed by the Congolese people.

The IGF plays a major role in mobilising public revenue through its financial patrol.

According to Jules Alingete, this general financial patrol of public finances remains the main key to eradicating corruption in public management.

The Inspectorate General of Finance is an administrative department reporting directly to the Head of State, and is responsible for controlling public finances, i.e. all public expenditure and revenue.

In terms of public expenditure, it controls government spending, spending by the State and companies, and spending by the provinces and local bodies.

On the revenue side, it controls the mobilisation of revenue by all the departments involved.

Jean-Robert TCHANDY