DRC Launches Nationwide Security Plan Ahead of Festive Season

Kinshasa, DRC — The government of the Democratic Republic of Congo has launched a new operational plan to strengthen security across the country during the end-of-year festivities, as urban violence and organised crime surge in major cities.

Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Interior, Security, Decentralisation and Customary Affairs, Maître Jacquemain Shabani Lukoo Bihango, chaired a high-level security meeting on Wednesday, 5 November 2025, focused on assessing the national situation and evaluating “Operation Ndobo,” the ongoing anti-banditry campaign targeting armed gangs.

A Cross-Border Security Challenge

Authorities in Kinshasa say the latest spike in urban crime is partly linked to regional dynamics. Across the river in the Republic of the Congo (Brazzaville), an ongoing crackdown dubbed “Operation Zéro Kuluna”, led by the Presidential Security Directorate and the elite Republican Guard, has driven dozens of criminal groups to flee across the border into the DRC capital.

Kinshasa’s law-enforcement agencies now face a renewed wave of “Black Baby” gangs known for violent robberies and street assaults, prompting the Interior Ministry to tighten coordination between police, intelligence, and city authorities.

At the meeting, senior security chiefs and the Governor of Kinshasa were instructed to finalise an operational plan to protect citizens and property through the holiday season.

The New Plan: Focus and Duration

The November 2025 – January 2026 national plan will reinforce police visibility, secure major roads and border points, and deploy rapid-response patrols in strategic urban areas.

“The objective is clear: deter crime, reassure the population, and ensure safe celebrations across all provinces,” said a senior official present at the meeting.

The plan builds on Operation Ndobo’s early results and seeks to integrate local task forces under unified command structures. Special attention will be given to urban transport corridors, markets, and nightlife zones, which often experience higher crime rates during festive periods.