The national carrier of the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), Congo Airways, effective September 11, suspended all flights. The airline stated that it needs to undergo restructuring in order to meet international aviation safety standards. The duration of the suspension is unclear. Officially, the airline announced it suspended operations on September 11 to "reorganise its equipment.”

In a statement, it promised to resume service "in a very short time" and thanked President Félix Tshisekedi for intervening regarding an urgent provision of funds.

Congo Airways CEO José Dubier Lueya said the airline needs at least $33 million to resume operations. Speaking on Top Congo FM radio station in Kinshasa, on September 11, he confirmed the decision to halt operations was taken because the engines of the airline's two A320-200s needed replacing.

"We reached the end of the engine cycle on both planes at almost the same time," he explained.

He estimated that replacing all four engines would cost $28 million, and suggested purchasing a second-hand plane for $5 million but did not elaborate. The airline owes $30 million in unpaid taxes, he added.

The aviation industry could have been a symbol of progress and connectivity. However, the story of Congo Airways paints a different picture, one of mismanagement, decline, and broader governance challenges that persist in the country.

With a paid-up capital of $90 million, the state-owned flag carrier airline started operations in October 2015. For the Congolese, it was a beacon of hope in the transportation sector, with the aim of connecting the vast and diverse regions of the country, fostering economic growth and providing a lifeline to remote communities. In the early years, it showed promise, with flights connecting cities and regions that were previously isolated.

However, due to Kinshasa's mismanagement, the dream was short lived.

Safety concerns, inadequate maintenance, and financial troubles eroded its reputation. Flights were often delayed or canceled, leaving passengers stranded and frustrated. Reports of corruption and mismanagement within the airline became increasingly common.

With just four planes in their fleet, the airline failed to maintain or make necessary reparations, which are expected to cost around $28 million. Worse still, Congo Airways has accumulated a debt of more than $97 million, which is yet to be paid.

In December 2019, Tshisekedi promised to buy eight new planes to add to the carrier’s fleet. They were never delivered.

Additionally, Kinshasa failed to strike an agreement with Ethiopian Airways because the former could not guarantee that no case of corruption will arise.

Tshisekedi failed his compatriots.

He raised everyone’s expectations on positive changes but only delivered failure. The failure of Congo Airways is just a drop in the ocean on the long list of his mismanagement.

Kinshasa is characterized by corruption and misuse of funds. It is reported that the government’s annual budget is used up in only three months, and an estimated $16 billion is inexplicably lost in mismanagement, and embezzlement.

With the national carrier nailed to the ground, Tshisekedi instructed his Minister of Finance and José Dubier to seek financial support and expertise from foreign companies.

Despite the abundance of natural resources in DRC, Tshisekedi is unable to utilize them, and instead relies on handouts from foreign countries while he and his associates fill their pockets with taxpayers’ money.

Halting the operations of the airline proves that Tshisekedi’s government simply cannot run anything. The country is on auto pilot and the Congolese fear that it is speeding into a state of extreme disorder due to absence of controlling systems.

At the beginning, Tshisekedi’s campaign promises included humanising the security services as well an ‘Etat de Droit’, or rule of law, with human rights priorities including fighting impunity and strengthening the mechanisms for the protection of human rights.

But the carnage in Goma, among numerous other incidents in the country, tells a different story. At least 56 civilians were shot dead, 220 injured while more than 60 were arrested on August 30, following crackdown by Congolese security services on an anti-UN protests in Goma, the capital of North Kivu Province in eastern DRC.

Tshisekedi’s failure of strategic oversight is also appalling as the country continues to grapple with renewed fighting in the volatile eastern region.