Tshisekedi Inspects Major Kinshasa Clean-Up Operation

President Félix-Antoine Tshisekedi visited Boulevard Lumumba on Friday, 17 July 2026, to inspect sanitation work being carried out by the Service National in Kinshasa.

The operation covers the major corridor running from the Limete interchange towards N'djili International Airport. Teams have been deployed along the route since 15 July as part of a wider effort to improve cleanliness, traffic movement and the organisation of public spaces in the capital.

According to the DRC Presidency, the work includes cleaning roads and public areas, clearing drains, collecting and removing rubbish, reorganising spaces used by the public and improving movement at heavily congested points.

The operation also targets unauthorised markets and parking areas built on public land or along busy roads.

During the visit, Tshisekedi inspected several intervention sites along Boulevard Lumumba. These included the Quartier 1 junction, Place Pascal, Marché de la Liberté and the Debonhomme flyover.

Lieutenant-General Jean-Pierre Kasongo Kabwik, commander of the Service National, briefed the president on the progress already made and the next stages of the operation.

The president was accompanied by senior national and city officials, including the vice-prime minister responsible for national defence, the transport minister, the president of the Senate and Kinshasa Governor Daniel Bumba.

Their presence gave the inspection a wider significance. The clean-up is not being presented as a small neighbourhood exercise, but as part of an organised government response to one of Kinshasa's most visible urban challenges.

The Presidency said Tshisekedi was satisfied with the quality of the early work. He congratulated the Service National teams and encouraged them to continue with discipline, professionalism and patriotism so that the improvements can last.

What the Kinshasa Sanitation Operation Includes

The operation goes beyond sweeping streets. It combines waste removal with drainage work, traffic management and the recovery of public spaces.

The main interventions include:

• Sweeping roads and cleaning public areas

• Clearing rubbish and mud from drains

• Collecting and transporting waste away from the sites

• Removing obstructions from public road reserves

• Reorganising spaces used by traders, passengers and other road users

• Addressing unauthorised markets and parking areas

• Improving traffic movement at congested locations

• Promoting cleaner and more orderly public spaces

Blocked drains and poorly managed waste can worsen flooding, damage roads and create health risks. Clearing drainage channels is therefore an important part of protecting both residents and public infrastructure, particularly when heavy rainfall affects the city.

Cleaner road reserves can also improve visibility and pedestrian movement, while better organised transport and trading spaces may reduce congestion along one of Kinshasa's busiest routes.

Why Boulevard Lumumba ?

Boulevard Lumumba is a strategic gateway to Kinshasa. It links central parts of the capital to densely populated eastern communes and N'djili International Airport.

The condition of this corridor affects residents, traders, commuters, visitors and businesses. It is also one of the first major routes seen by many passengers travelling between the airport and the city.

Improving its appearance and operation therefore has both practical and symbolic importance. A cleaner airport corridor can strengthen Kinshasa's image while making everyday movement safer and more efficient for the people who use it.

By inspecting the work himself, Tshisekedi placed presidential attention on a basic public-service issue that directly affects daily life. The visit also signalled that urban sanitation is being treated as a matter of government accountability rather than a one-day public-relations exercise.

Service National and the Bâtisseurs

The work is being performed by members of the Service National commonly known as the Bâtisseurs, or builders.

Radio Okapi reports that some of the young participants were previously associated with urban gangs before entering a Service National rehabilitation and vocational-training programme.

Their participation gives the operation a social dimension alongside its sanitation goals. The programme seeks to redirect young people towards discipline, skills training and useful public work.

Tshisekedi told the teams that the government would continue supporting them and seek to improve their living conditions within the resources available. He also emphasised unity, respect for leadership and professional conduct.

Part of a Wider Presidential Sanitation Plan

The Boulevard Lumumba campaign follows the creation of a presidential task force for sanitation, cleanliness and urban hygiene in Kinshasa.

According to the official ordinance reported by ACP, the structure was established under the president's authority to coordinate, plan, carry out and monitor major sanitation operations across the city.

Its responsibilities include identifying critical waste points, coordinating waste collection and treatment, clearing priority drainage infrastructure, promoting public hygiene and encouraging community participation.

This broader mandate is important because Kinshasa's sanitation problems cannot be solved through street cleaning alone. Lasting progress requires regular waste collection, functioning drainage, designated spaces for traders and transport operators, public cooperation and enforcement that is consistent and fair.

Keeping the Results in Place

The immediate clean-up has received support from residents along the affected route, but maintaining the results will be the larger test.

Radio Okapi's report on the launch noted that residents called for a permanent monitoring system to prevent waste and unauthorised activities from returning to cleared sites.

Some displaced traders also asked the authorities to guide them calmly and provide suitable places where they can continue earning a living. That concern shows why sanitation enforcement should be accompanied by practical planning and communication.

For the campaign to produce lasting change, the authorities will need to combine enforcement with regular services, community education and realistic alternatives for affected traders and transport workers.

The government's success will ultimately be measured by whether drains remain open, waste is collected consistently, roads stay accessible and residents see a sustained improvement in their neighbourhoods.

A Visible Push for a Cleaner Capital

Tshisekedi's inspection has placed the Kinshasa sanitation operation at the centre of the national government's urban agenda.

The early work along Boulevard Lumumba shows an effort to address several problems at the same time: waste, blocked drains, disorderly public spaces, congestion and youth reintegration.

The operation is also a visible demonstration of presidential oversight. By visiting active sites and speaking directly to the teams, Tshisekedi linked the clean-up to his administration's promise of stronger public authority and an improved living environment.

The next challenge is continuity. If the work is followed by reliable waste management, regular maintenance and cooperation between the national government, Kinshasa authorities and local communities, the campaign could become more than a temporary clean-up. It could help establish a new standard for the management of the Congolese capital.