29/06/2026
CONSTITUTIONAL REFORM: YOUNG CONGOLESE DEMAND A CONSTITUTION THAT ADDRESSES THEIR REAL CONCERNS
Kinshasa, June 29, 2026 – While the debate on constitutional revision is roiling the national political scene, the Congolese Youth Collective has sought to move beyond the political polemics and refocus the discussion on what truly matters: the youth and the country's development. In a press release published today, the Collective calls for a profound constitutional overhaul, denouncing the limitations of the current text and proposing concrete reforms for the future of rising generations.
The Congolese Youth Collective first seeks to defuse the tension surrounding the debate. According to them, considering a constitutional amendment should not be automatically perceived as a maneuver to maintain power for certain political actors, but rather as a "historic opportunity" to address the major challenges facing young people.
An Unbalanced Constitution
The Collective points out that the Constitution of February 18, 2006, while the fundamental basis of the State, suffers from a clear imbalance. While it meticulously details the organization and exercise of political power, it remains insufficiently binding regarding human development, and particularly concerning the well-being of young people.
The Congolese youth specifically point to Article 42 of the Fundamental Law, which stipulates that
“The consequences of this deficiency are visible on a daily basis,” the statement reads. Faced with a job market unable to absorb the thousands of graduates leaving universities each year, confronted with a lack of funding for young entrepreneurs, and a persistent gap between training programs and the real needs of the economy, the Collective believes that reform is more necessary than ever.
Three Proposals for a Refounding
To address these structural problems, the Congolese Youth Collective goes beyond mere criticism and formulates three specific recommendations for a Constitution “at the service of youth and national development.”
1. Rewrite Article 42: The Collective proposes incorporating into the Constitution an explicit obligation for the State to support and finance youth entrepreneurship, guarantee mechanisms for access to first jobs, and promote student work programs that facilitate professional integration.
2. Establish a budgetary safeguard: To ensure that good intentions do not remain empty words, the young people propose the creation of a National Guarantee Fund financed by an automatic portion of the national budget. This fund would be dedicated to financing the projects of young entrepreneurs, with strict control and accountability mechanisms.
3. Constitutionalize the alignment of Education and Employment: This involves elevating to the status of a constitutional principle the obligation for the State to align training programs (university, technical, and vocational) with the actual needs of the labor market and the country's economic priorities.
A societal debate, not a political issue
The Congolese Youth Collective reminds everyone that young people represent the demographic majority of the country and must be fully involved in discussions about the DRC's institutional future. The statement emphasizes that "a Constitution derives its legitimacy solely from its ability to meet the people's expectations, protect future generations, and foster collective progress."
Ultimately, the Collective calls for moving beyond political considerations to transform the constitutional debate into a genuine societal discussion focused on development, employment, education, and the empowerment of Congolese youth. The Constitution should no longer be seen as a mere tool for distributing power, but as a lever for social justice and prosperity for the entire nation.
An Unbalanced Constitution
The Collective points out that the Constitution of February 18, 2006, while the fundamental basis of the State, suffers from a clear imbalance. While it meticulously details the organization and exercise of political power, it remains insufficiently binding regarding human development, and particularly concerning the well-being of young people.
The Congolese youth specifically point to Article 42 of the Fundamental Law, which stipulates that
"Public authorities have an obligation to protect young people from any harm to their health, education, and holistic development."While commendable, this provision remains, in their view, essentially declaratory, as it provides neither mandatory enforcement mechanisms nor institutional guarantees for its effective implementation.
“The consequences of this deficiency are visible on a daily basis,” the statement reads. Faced with a job market unable to absorb the thousands of graduates leaving universities each year, confronted with a lack of funding for young entrepreneurs, and a persistent gap between training programs and the real needs of the economy, the Collective believes that reform is more necessary than ever.
Three Proposals for a Refounding
To address these structural problems, the Congolese Youth Collective goes beyond mere criticism and formulates three specific recommendations for a Constitution “at the service of youth and national development.”
1. Rewrite Article 42: The Collective proposes incorporating into the Constitution an explicit obligation for the State to support and finance youth entrepreneurship, guarantee mechanisms for access to first jobs, and promote student work programs that facilitate professional integration.
2. Establish a budgetary safeguard: To ensure that good intentions do not remain empty words, the young people propose the creation of a National Guarantee Fund financed by an automatic portion of the national budget. This fund would be dedicated to financing the projects of young entrepreneurs, with strict control and accountability mechanisms.
3. Constitutionalize the alignment of Education and Employment: This involves elevating to the status of a constitutional principle the obligation for the State to align training programs (university, technical, and vocational) with the actual needs of the labor market and the country's economic priorities.
A societal debate, not a political issue
The Congolese Youth Collective reminds everyone that young people represent the demographic majority of the country and must be fully involved in discussions about the DRC's institutional future. The statement emphasizes that "a Constitution derives its legitimacy solely from its ability to meet the people's expectations, protect future generations, and foster collective progress."
Ultimately, the Collective calls for moving beyond political considerations to transform the constitutional debate into a genuine societal discussion focused on development, employment, education, and the empowerment of Congolese youth. The Constitution should no longer be seen as a mere tool for distributing power, but as a lever for social justice and prosperity for the entire nation.
“A stronger Constitution for a more prosperous and inclusive nation”, this is the stated ambition of the Congolese Youth Collective, which intends to exert its full influence in the upcoming discussions.