Democratic Republic of Congo President Felix Tshisekedi announced on Friday the creation of a multidisciplinary task force dedicated to improving sanitation and cleanliness in the capital Kinshasa.

The task force will operate under his direct authority and be led by Lieutenant-General Jean-Pierre Kasongo Kabwik, commander of the National Service. Tshisekedi tasked Kasongo Kabwik with coordinating sanitation efforts across the Congolese capital.

The announcement came after Tshisekedi toured several Kinshasa neighborhoods, including areas around the Grand Marché, where he observed persistent sanitation problems.

According to the official summary of the cabinet meeting, the president said existing mechanisms suffer from poor anticipation and coordination, operational delays and a lack of discipline in implementing assigned tasks.

To address those shortcomings, Tshisekedi said he wants to establish an approach grounded in paramilitary discipline, collective accountability, a results-oriented culture and stronger operational coordination.

Missions

The task force will bring together experts from the National Service and representatives from the ministries of Interior, National Defence, Urban Planning and Housing, Public Health, Environment, and Infrastructure and Public Works, as well as Kinshasa City Hall.

Its mandate includes developing a permanent sanitation plan for Kinshasa, identifying and addressing areas most affected by poor sanitation, coordinating field operations, proposing measures to improve urban management and environmental responsibility, and overseeing public awareness campaigns and the implementation of decisions.

A career military officer, Kasongo Kabwik says he has accumulated more than 30 years of service in the Armed Forces of the Democratic Republic of Congo. In an interview given in March 2026, he said he rose through every rank from second lieutenant to lieutenant-general.

During his career, he said he served in the Republican Guard, the President's Military Office, the Ministry of Defence, the land forces and a commission under the supervision of the Ministry of Interior. He said he has led the National Service since July 2018.

His appointment reflects the results the government attributes to the National Service since its relaunch. Founded in 1997 under President Laurent-Désiré Kabila, the institution was revitalized from 2020 onward, with a mandate covering youth development, agricultural production and participation in national reconstruction efforts.

Kaniama Kasese as flagship model

Under Kasongo Kabwik's leadership, the Kaniama Kasese center in Haut-Lomami province has become the National Service's flagship site. According to figures provided by the institution's command, cultivated land expanded from 250 hectares in 2018 to 5,000 hectares in 2024. Maize production rose from 1,000 tonnes in 2019 to 16,000 tonnes in 2024.

For the 2025-2026 agricultural season, the National Service announced a maize harvest of 40,000 tonnes, with an official launch expected in the coming days.

Beyond agricultural output, the Kaniama Kasese model also rests on the social reintegration of young people formerly involved in urban delinquency, commonly known as "Kuluna." After civic, patriotic and vocational training, they take part in agricultural activities and infrastructure construction.

According to National Service officials, the buildings, roads, housing units and public facilities completed at the site were built with the participation of these young people, now referred to as nation-builders.

The National Service also says it has developed activities across several sectors, including livestock farming, fish farming, infrastructure construction and vocational training. Under its 2026-2030 strategy, the institution plans to extend this model to several provinces by combining production centres with training centres.

The appointment of Kasongo Kabwik to lead the Kinshasa sanitation task force reflects the president's intention to rely on a structure he regards as capable of delivering results on the ground. Having taken on challenges in agricultural production, social reintegration and infrastructure development, the National Service is now being called on to help improve living conditions in the Congolese capital.

Timothée Manoke