DRC Census Offers Millions a Chance to Be Counted
The DRC census is preparing to count the population for the first time since 1984. For many Congolese, however, the exercise means far more than establishing a population figure.
In Bunia, Ituri province, 28-year-old Heritier Ramazani has never appeared in a national census. He also lacks an official document confirming his Congolese citizenship.
I’ve never been registered in a census since I was born,Ramazani told Al Jazeera.
He hopes the new census will help him obtain official identification and finally gain recognition from the state.
Why the DRC Census Matters
The previous national census took place in 1984, when the country was still known as Zaire. Since then, the Democratic Republic of the Congo has experienced political upheaval, armed conflict and rapid population growth.
The World Bank estimates that the country now has around 112 million people.
Government officials say the DRC census will provide reliable population data for planning public services. The figures could help authorities determine where to build schools, hospitals, roads, water systems and electricity networks.
For millions of residents, though, the count also offers a chance to establish their identity officially.
Millions Lack Official Identity Documents
The absence of widely available national identity cards has created difficulties for generations of Congolese.
In many areas, voter registration cards have served as one of the few commonly accepted forms of identification.
Gedeon Katembo, a 36-year-old father of three, hopes the census will help authorities develop a stronger national identification system.
It is essential to know how many Congolese people there are in the country and around the world,Katembo told Al Jazeera.
He also believes the process could strengthen national unity.
Decades of political instability, weak administration and armed conflict have disrupted government services and contributed to the lack of official documentation.
DRC Census Faces Major Security Challenges
Authorities plan to begin with a digital mapping exercise. Teams will identify inhabited areas before moving to the main household data collection phase.
The scale of the operation presents a major challenge. The DRC covers more than 2.3 million square kilometres, while many communities remain difficult to reach because of poor roads, limited infrastructure and insecurity.
Henri Marie Kazadi, technical coordinator at the Central Census Office, said officials would use tablets and smartphones instead of traditional paper forms.
The mapping teams will locate inhabited areas and prepare them for the main census operation.
However, eastern DRC presents additional obstacles. Armed groups remain active in parts of the region, while fighting has displaced large numbers of people.
Muyisa Hangi Christophe, an activist with the pro-democracy group Filimbi, warned that displacement could prevent some communities from taking part.
Political Concerns Surround the Census
The DRC census also comes at a politically sensitive time.
Previous efforts to establish a national identification system began under former President Joseph Kabila but later stalled amid political instability.
With elections expected in 2028, some opposition figures and civil society groups worry that population figures could become politically controversial.
Population data can influence representation and governance, making the census particularly important as the country debates its political future.
The government rejects suggestions that political motives drive the exercise. Officials describe the census as a routine state programme intended to improve national planning.
A Census That Could Shape Public Services
Development analysts say accurate population figures could help the government make better decisions.
Reliable data would show where people live, how communities are growing and which areas need schools, hospitals, roads and other services.
For residents such as Ramazani and Katembo, however, the DRC census represents something more personal.
It offers the possibility of appearing in official records and obtaining documents that many Congolese have never possessed.
For Katembo, those documents could restore a sense of recognition that many citizens feel they lost decades ago.
Through these cards, we will regain the nationality we lost over 40 years ago,he told Al Jazeera.
