A radio advertisement broadcast on Radio Centrafrique claiming that Bangui, the capital of the Central African Republic, currently has 10 districts (arrondissements) is false.
According to the advertisement aired on Radio Centrafrique, it stated: “Ten candidates representing the ten districts of Bangui, everyone has a chance to win up to 500,000 FCFA…” This is an advertisement for the “Passa” game, which falsely suggests that there are currently ten districts in Bangui. This information is entirely misleading and should be approached with caution.
To verify this information and provide clarification, the AFC editorial team contacted the Ministry of Territorial Administration, Decentralization, and Local Development. The ministry provided the decree n˚008/21.MADDT.DIRCAB dated October 12, 2021, which established a ninth district in Bangui.
According to Jean Symphorien Ngama-Piault, Director General of Decentralization and Development at the Ministry of Territorial Administration, Decentralization, and Local Development, this information is misleading.
“It’s completely false. Currently, I reiterate that there are not ten districts in the city of Bangui. Recently, the Minister of Territorial Administration, Decentralization, and Local Development signed a decree creating the ninth district, encompassing the localities of Landja and Mboko.”
According to the law n˚20.008 of September 22, 2020, governing the organization and functioning of local communities, and the decree n˚18.173 of July 12, 2018, governing the organization and functioning of the Ministry of Territorial Administration, Decentralization, and Local Development, Landja-Mboko is established as the ninth district of the commune of Bangui, as stated in article 1 of decree n˚008/21.MADDT.DIRCAB.
The Landja-Mboko district is bordered to the north by the commune of Damara, to the south and east by the Democratic Republic of the Congo, and to the west by the 4th and 7th districts of the commune of Bangui and the commune of Bégoua, according to article 2 of decree n˚008/21.MADDT.DIRCAB.
Previously, the commune of Bangui had 8 districts. However, after the adoption of the law on decentralization and local communities last year, which allowed the government to create new districts and prefectures (increasing from 16 to 20), the commune of Bangui now totals nine districts following the creation of the new district by decree n˚008/21.MADDT.DIRCAB on October 12, 2021, which established Landja-Mboko as the ninth district. Therefore, certain information should be treated with caution.
AFC, in its media monitoring regarding the creation of a tenth district in Bangui on Radio Centrafrique, confirms that this information is false.
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