When Cédric Bakambu held up a sign reading “Maîtrisable” during a Léopards match in June 2026, few realised the word carried a double meaning. The striker’s gesture quickly became a rallying cry for fans, but its origins lie far beyond the football pitch — inside Kinshasa’s Makala Central Prison, where a high‑profile political trial is unfolding.

The slogan, which translates roughly to “controllable” or “manageable”, first appeared on placards waved by supporters of the Léopards during the national team’s recent qualifying campaign. Yet for many Congolese, the term is an ironic reference to the government’s handling of a controversial trial involving former allies of ex‑president Joseph Kabila and current president Félix Tshisekedi.

A word that bridges sport and politics

Supporters chanted “Maîtrisable” at stadiums across the Democratic Republic of Congo, believing their team could tame any opponent. But the same word has been used by critics to describe the judicial process against a group of opposition figures accused of plotting against the state. Detainees held at Makala, the country’s largest prison, have allegedly been subjected to what human rights groups call a “manageable” justice — one that bends to executive will.

“When we say a player is maîtrisable, we mean he can be controlled and stopped,” explains a fan interviewed at the Stade des Martyrs in Kinshasa. “But when the government says a trial is maîtrisable, it suggests they can steer the outcome. That’s the dark humour here.”

The fusion of football fervour and political protest is not new in DRC. During the 2010s, supporters used chants to mock former president Joseph Kabila’s extended stay in power. However, the current wave has a sharper edge, coming as it does against the backdrop of a trial that has drawn international attention.

Behind the bars of Makala

The trial in question involves a dozen people, including a former minister and several activists, charged with undermining state security. Their incarceration at Makala — a facility notorious for overcrowding and poor conditions — has sparked protests from civil society. The defendants’ lawyers argue that the proceedings are being rushed and that key evidence is being withheld, making the outcome “controllable” by the authorities.

President Félix Tshisekedi has publicly stated that the judiciary is independent, but opponents see the trial as a test of his commitment to the rule of law. The “Maîtrisable” chant, therefore, has become a subtle but widespread expression of scepticism — a way for ordinary citizens to comment on politics without directly confronting security forces.

“It’s our way of saying we see what’s happening,” adds a university student in Lubumbashi. “We cheer for the Léopards, but we also know that the same word can describe the political game.”