The Democratic Republic of Congo is one of the countries best placed to shoot horror films. She lives in the dark and has no electricity. In one of its cities which is located in the northeast, the city of Kisangani, the national electricity company regularly supplies electricity to only one municipality out of six. This lack of electricity is the basis of miners’ nocturnal walks, of the phenomenon evapowhich is a practice of stealing property from passers-by and so many other vicious acts.
When black begets vice
The nocturnal stroll of miners is observed in all the communes of the city of Kisangani with the exception of the commune of Makiso. This atmosphere begins around 7 p.m. and drops off at very late hours. This atmosphere is very lively in places where there is a high concentration of commercial activities: Around bars commonly called: “ Industry”, near the small markets where the old women sell the grilled salted fish called “Kamundele” and close to so many other shopping establishments available overnight.
Dark sidekicks
Not only young teenagers who are seen outside their plots at these times, but also children aged 10, 11. When trying to get in touch with them, many justify themselves by saying that there is no electricity, which causes them to miss doing after eating the evening meal or waiting for the evening meal is ready.
Hanging out, they get to know the homeless children who teach them the vicious practices among which “Evapo” is the most common. The term “evapo” is the apocope of the word Evaporation. The latter refers to the change of water into a gaseous state. This is how the act of stealing the goods of passers-by is likened to the phenomenon of evaporation.
When motivation meets passion
To attract a large number of young people, the bars have large screens to broadcast football matches. This gives the night walk a festive atmosphere. Some poor parents who forbid their children to go to these places are obliged to use all their means to obtain generators.
At 13, they are mothers
While young boys are exposed to learning flight, evapo and other dark practices, young girls are the prey of nocturnal flirts. Many young minors become mothers. After being pregnant, they are sent to the so-called roofs of their in-laws. The lack of electricity not only created darkness in the city, it also favored the nocturnal walk, the phenomenon evapo, theft and of course it is the basis of an excessive number of unwanted births. In Kisangani, it is not surprising to see a 13-year-old girl being a mother.
