KWANGO: 3,600 COMBATANTS READY TO LAY DOWN ARMS UNDER THE EXCLUSIVE LEADERSHIP OF THE P-DDRCS
Kinshasa, November 7, 2025 — The Disarmament, Demobilization, Community Reintegration and Stabilization Program (P-DDRCS) continues to strengthen its territorial and institutional presence under the exclusive leadership of the Congolese State. During a technical meeting held at the Program’s headquarters in Kinshasa, the Governor of Kwango Province, Mr. Willy Bitwisila Lusundi, emphasized the urgent need for the deployment of the P-DDRCS in his province, where 3,600 active armed combatants are awaiting the program’s implementation to leave the bush and join the national peace efforts.
This strategic meeting, chaired by the National Coordinator of the P-DDRCS, Professor Jean de Dieu Désiré Ntanga Ntita, alongside the Deputy National Coordinator for Administrative and Financial Affairs, Mr. William Balika Lwamushi, and program experts, served to clarify the Program’s strategic orientations and reinforce synergy between provincial authorities and the national Coordination.
Governor BITWISILA LUSUNDI commended the clear and comprehensive presentation of the Program, noting that the issue of armed groups remains a major challenge to stability in Kwango. He expressed his desire to establish a structured framework of collaboration between the P-DDRCS and provincial authorities to effectively support peacebuilding efforts.
In response, the National Coordinator reaffirmed the Program’s commitment to supporting Kwango in restoring peace and State authority. He recalled that the mandate of the P-DDRCS, as defined by Presidential Ordinance No. 21/038 of July 4, 2021, is exclusive and non-transferable: the P-DDRCS is the sole entity authorized to coordinate DDRCS activities across the national territory. This coordination is conducted under the leadership of the Steering Committee chaired by the Head of State, with the Prime Minister serving as Vice-Chair.
Professor Ntanga Ntita highlighted the Program’s innovations, including its community-based approach, vocational training for ex-combatants, and the integration of mental health as a driver of social transformation. He also announced the imminent deployment of the Program in Kwango, including the establishment of a local peace consultation framework and the appointment of a P-DDRCS focal point to ensure operational follow-up.
This meeting reflects the political will of the President of the Republic, His Excellency Félix Antoine Tshisekedi Tshilombo, Chair of the P-DDRCS Steering Committee, to build a durable, inclusive peace rooted in local communities. The Program’s national leadership, embodied by its Coordination, remains the guarantor of institutional sovereignty and strategic coherence in the DDRCS process throughout the Democratic Republic of Congo.
P-DDRCS Communication Unit
