TOURIST SITE OF LA NSELE

Domaine présidentiel de la Nsele. An agro-industrial park 60 km from Kinshasa designed by Mobutu in 1966 to encourage agricultural activity. The project is no longer operational. It was here that Mobutu's MPR party was founded on May 20, 1967, during the Nsele manifesto. On April 24, 1990, it was here that Mobutu proposed the formation of an expanded transitional government, which gave rise to the Conférence Nationale Souveraine (Sovereign National Conference).

The MPR housing estate. The estate is home to the MPR city on the river bank, symbolized by the MPR tower and comprising numerous pavilions, meeting rooms and party halls. The estate also boasted an Olympic swimming pool, an animal park covering several thousand hectares, an American satellite dish and, of course, Mobutu's residence, not to mention the entrance gate and the imposing Chinese pagoda.

Parc de la Nsele. Spread over 3,500 hectares, this presidential park was home to numerous animals: okapi, buffalo, monkeys, lions and leopards. Its aim was to provide a showcase for Zaire's biodiversity. The site boasts a wide range of ecosystems: bush, savannah, forest galleries, marshes, ponds and rivers, although in practical terms today it consists mainly of a few straw huts where you can enjoy a drink in the shade of the palm trees, a small children's playground and a few vintage cages containing a handful of animals.

Nsele fish farm. A hundred metres from the junction of Route Nationale 1 towards Bandundu and the road to Maluku, a sign reading "Site touristique de la Nsele" points the way to the fish-farming station located just a few metres from the historic town of Nsele. Apparently, you can still fish in the ponds, and for non-fishers, walks around the ponds or by pirogue are possible. Fish caught can be eaten on site or taken away. A large straw hut serves as a restaurant.

Today, the site is under the supervision of the Ministry of Tourism. An ambitious redevelopment plan is planned in two phases. The first phase will involve refurbishing the existing units (swimming pool, restaurant, conference hall, studios for accommodation, marina, renovation of the fish farm, etc.). The second phase will involve the restoration of historic structures such as the Chinese pagoda, the construction of a hotel, a leisure center and more. Nsele is thinking big...