Back in Kindu... a long time ago

12th June 2010
I’m now back in Kindu, and have been for a week. Ended up having 2 weeks in Bukavu for training, R&R (rest and relaxation) and then some work which was easier to do there than here. It was really good to have a change of scene – and I particularly enjoyed the luxurious food. I even got to eat pizza! My passport was still in Kinshasa getting it’s work permit (I understand it’s back now) which meant that I couldn’t exit the country for my R&R. I didn’t actually mind too much – I was happy to stay in Bukavu and not deal with all the stresses of travel and trying to get used to a new place. Bukavu is by the lake and I spent most of my afternoons on a patch of grass reading, and then watching the sunset over the lake and the mountains. I was definitely ready for my R&R – I knew I needed a break but it’s only when you stop that you realise quite how much. For the first day or two I felt really drained, both emotionally and physically, and not at all sociable. Enjoyed the break, and returning to work, though it was a definite shock to the system having to get up at 7.30 again…

The return to Kindu amused me somewhat. We normally can only fly to Kindu from Bukavu on Mondays and Fridays. However, the flight was delayed from Friday to Saturday this particular week because there was a big UNHAS (United Nations Humanitarian Air Services, or something like that, which is who we fly with) meeting down in Kinshasa to discuss the future of MONUC in Congo – you may have seen on the news that there’s been a decision to reduce by 2,000 the number of UN personnel in the country. Don’t yet know if that’s going to be impacting Maniema at all. Anyway, Benoit and I, along with one of the logistics guys, drive to the airport on Saturday morning. We haven’t left enough time according to the time we believe we’re leaving (left the house at 8.40, 45 minute drive, flight at 10.30, supposed to be there 2 hours before… you do the maths) but it turned out not to matter. We lugged out our bags (and box of food…and plastic bag of bread….) and sat in the waiting room along with 12 Egyptian UN soldiers. After waiting a long time for our logs guy to come back after finding out what happened, and no-one else around, we decided we may as well do some work, and got started on my probation appraisal. One official comes by but looks doubtful that there’s any plane to Kindu. The Egyptian soldiers leave on another flight. Then suddenly we’re ushered through the bag check/weighing/check in and left in a bigger waiting room. We get started on my appraisal again. 40 Egyptian UN soldiers come trooping in and sit down. Two minutes later it turns out they’re in the wrong place and troop back out again. Someone comes and tells us that our flights arrived. Benoit and I hop into the back of a landrover, where we find our luggage, and drive out to the plane. Except it’s not our plane – it’s going to Kalembie instead. We get told that we’re the only two people travelling to Kindu today, so we’ll have to wait and find out if there will be a flight. Back we go to the waiting room, and restart the appraisal. Then a cleaning lady comes and asks us to sit outside. We move outside and restart the appraisal. And finally, we get told that our plane (the actual one this time) has arrived – there are 4 others on board who have come from Goma – and we fly to Kindu. United Nations organisation strikes again….

You may be interested to know that we continued my appraisal on Mon evening down at Vero beach, having a drink by the waterside. But then we had to leave because we had to be back before curfew (more on that below). So we restarted my appraisal back here, and pretty much finished, but we’ll probably need a seventh session to finalise objectives. The good news is that I’ve passed my probation and am allowed to stay…

For the past week or so, there’s been a curfew at 7pm. Apart from the case above, it hasn’t particularly impacted us, and it finishes tomorrow. The reason was the election of Maniema Province’s new Governor. The last Governor was really unpopular with people, and basically got chased from town. It took a couple of months of him pleading his case down in Kinshasa, but eventually he got removed from his post and there were celebrations on the streets of Kindu. Yesterday, elections took place for the new Governor. There were two candidates, one of whom is a businessman friend of Kabila. The President of Congo came to Kindu personally to show his support – Benoit and I were having a couple of minutes break after lunch and wondered what all the noise was outside, there was so much cheering and singing (far more tuneful than in the UK). Then a large cavalcade of cars when past our front door, and we learned that Kabila was in town. Didn’t actually get to see him though. Anyway, the vote was taken by the Parliament in Kinshasa, and the favourite candidate was elected. It will be interesting to see whether having a Governor makes a noticeable difference in Maniema – there hasn’t been someone in post since I arrived.

I’ve found the past week quite difficult. I think part of it was returning to Kindu after a couple of weeks in Bukavu, and finding the food quite unappetising in comparison. I’ve also had low energy and been quite tired (which may be linked to the fact that I haven’t eaten quite as much as normal) which has meant that I’ve struggled to find the motivation to work. We’ve also had issues within the team – some rumours going around which have caused friction in relationships, and some work that was not done properly (but very creatively…) which has meant a lot of time re-doing the work and investigating what happened. We’ve got to the bottom of it now, but it hasn’t been particularly pleasant, and my first (but probably not my last) experience here of being disappointed by a staff member that I thought was trustworthy. We’ve now managed to redo all the work, but it’s delayed us by about a week, when we’re already really busy doing recruitment (still). And in recruitment we have to walk the line between recruiting people locally (who may not have the capacity needed) and recruiting people from outside Maniema (which may not go down well with the rest of the team / local population. So likely to have some difficult decisions in the week ahead as well.

Time to go to bed I think. Benoit is watching the Germany vs Australia match – he tells me that I’m going to be seeing quite a lot of football in the next couple of weeks. Apparently there’s some big competition on or something.

Addition: 24th June – still haven’t had a chance to post this. Still finding the food unappetising (though Elizabeth cooked a lasagne on Sunday which was AMAZING) but have recovered some of my energy. Decisions to do with staff issues have been quite difficult, but a decision (which I believe is right) has been taken and the situation can be finished with. Am glad that I’m only in a support position at the moment – I can practice separating my emotions from my ‘head’!

Addition: 25th June – I went to the internet café yesterday and was just about to post this when the electricity went. So I’ve come again, and I’d just opened up google when the electricity went. I’ll contact you all some time….