Makala Prison: 16,238 inmates for 1,500 places, over 11,000 in pretrial detention as Guillaume Ngefa announces measures to ease overcrowding

Justice Minister of State Guillaume Ngefa Atondoko Andali and Supreme Court Prosecutor General Firmin Mvonde Mambu visited Kinshasa’s Makala Central Prison on October 15, 2026. Prison director André Kanza wa Kanza said the facility holds 16,238 inmates despite having capacity for 1,500, including 299 women and 229 children in conflict with the law; more than 11,000 people are in pretrial detention. Officials found severe overcrowding, deteriorating facilities and difficulty accessing medical care in several prison wings. Ngefa announced urgent measures to ease overcrowding.