Makala Central Prison

{{Short description|Prison in the Democratic Republic of the Congo}}

{{Use dmy dates|date=September 2024}}

{{Infobox prison|location=Kinshasa, Democratic Republic of the Congo|status=Operational|capacity=1,500|population=14,000–15,000|population_as_of=2024|prisoners=Stanis Bujakera Tshiamala, Thomas Lubanga Dyilo, Emmanuel Dungia, Bruno Tshibala, Muanda Nsemi}}

Makala Central Prison ({{langx|fr|link=no|Prison centrale de Makala}}), or Makala Prison{{Cite web |title=Makala Prison: Behind bars at DR Congo's most notorious jail |url=https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/cdjwknzy20xo |access-date=10 September 2024 |website=www.bbc.com |language=en-GB}} ({{langx|fr|link=no|Prison de Makala}}, {{langx|ln|Bolóko ya Makala}}), is the biggest prison in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC), located in its capital city, Kinshasa.{{cite web |date=3 September 2024 |title=At least 129 dead in DR Congo jailbreak attempt |url=https://www.france24.com/en/africa/20240903-at-least-129-people-dead-after-attempted-jailbreak-at-dr-congo-makala-prison-kinshasa-prison |access-date=3 September 2024 |website=France24}} It is located in the city center, {{Convert|3|miles|km}} from the presidential palace.{{cite news |last=Kamale |first=Jean-Yves |date=3 September 2024 |title=Attempted jailbreak at a Congo prison kills 129 people as chaos erupts with a stampede and gunshots |url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/world/2024/09/03/congo-prison-inmates-jailbreak-deaths-stampede/2a7b4e48-69b9-11ef-86b4-58b1d68922fb_story.html |access-date=3 September 2024 |newspaper=The Washington Post}}

Makala Prison is located between the communes of Makala and Selembao. With a theoretical capacity of 1,500 detainees,{{cite web |language=fr |first=Chase Mutayubara |last=Daudi |title=Les coulisses de la prison de Makala à Kinshasa |url=https://www.grip.org/les-coulisses-de-la-prison-de-makala-a-kinshasa/ |publisher={{ill|Groupe de recherche et d'information sur la paix et la sécurité|fr}} |date=26 October 2022 |access-date=9 September 2024 }}{{cite news |language=fr |title=RDC: des vidéos alarment à nouveau sur les conditions "inhumaines" des détenus à la prison de Makala |url=https://www.rfi.fr/fr/afrique/20240721-rdc-des-vid%C3%A9os-alarment-%C3%A0-nouveau-sur-les-conditions-inhumaines-des-d%C3%A9tenus-%C3%A0-la-prison-de-makala |work=Radio France Internationale |date=21 July 2024 |access-date=9 September 2024 }} Makala is the only detention centre in Kinshasa, with the exception of Ndolo military prison.{{Cite web |last=Canada |first=Immigration and Refugee Board of |date=5 June 2018 |title=Responses to Information Requests |url=https://www.irb-cisr.gc.ca/en/country-information/rir/Pages/index.aspx?doc=457154 |access-date=11 September 2024 |website=www.irb-cisr.gc.ca |language=en}}

The security of each of the eleven pavilions where prisoners are housed is ensured by the inmates. There are no police officers or prison guards inside the site.{{cite news |last1=Kibangula |first1=Trésor |title=RDC : bienvenue dans l'enfer de Makala, la plus grande prison de Kinshasa |url=https://www.jeuneafrique.com/mag/267961/societe/rdc-bienvenue-dans-lenfer-de-makala-la-plus-grande-prison-de-kinshasa/ |access-date=9 September 2024 |work=Jeune Afrique |date=7 October 2015 }} Instead, prisoners armed with batons guard the entrances and exits of each pavilion.