Compagnie du Kasai

The Sandford Exploring Expedition started commercial operations on the river and founded the Luebo post in 1887, then in 1888 merged with SAB.

Cut-throat competition was keeping prices low, but also creating financial instability and reducing the amount paid to the local workers.

The purpose would be to harvest and trade plant products and ivory, as well as related commercial, industrial and agricultural operations.

Capital of one million francs would be equally divided between the Congo Free State, which would receive half, and the 14 companies.

[1] The company did not receive a concession like Abir or the Société Anversoise du Commerce au Congo (SCA), and its representatives were not commissioned to raise tax.

The missionaries ran the plantation using bonded Luba laborers, former slaves from eastern and central Kasai who had recently been liberated.

[4] The Europeans managed to drive off the attackers with the help of their foreign workers, and were relieved on 9 November by soldiers of the Force Publique led by De Cock and Hubin, who arrived from the east.

[5] An official report in 1905 found that agents of the company had undertaken armed expeditions against the local people.

In 1922 the company was granted concessions for palm oil exploitation, consisting of five circles with a radius of 20 kilometres (12 mi).

By 1935 it had sold shares to the Société anonyme belge pour le commerce du Haut-Congo (SAB) in exchange for a 3,000 hectares (7,400 acres) plot in the Manghay region where it was cultivating coffee and cocoa trees.

It had a 500 kilometres (310 mi) road network, a fleet of river boats and loading and unloading facilities in Léopoldville and Matadi.