Kinshasa, February 26th, 2026 (CPA) – The creation of the Inter-Institutional Urban Council on Professional Ethics, Public Integrity, and the Fight Against Organized Crime in Kinshasa, Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC), was announced during a three-day reflection workshop opened Thursday in the capital. “At the end of this meeting, a consultative body called the *Inter-Institutional Urban Council on Professional Ethics, Public Integrity, and the Fight Against Organized Crime in Kinshasa* will be established with the aim of alerting on various cases of unethical behavior,” said Apollinaire Mbala, Provincial Deputy Director at the Observatory for Corruption Monitoring and Professional Ethics (OSCEP). “Our mission is to identify alerts and unethical practices in the DRC, particularly within the city of Kinshasa. Secondly, we will serve as an advisory instrument for provincial institutions on matters of anti-corruption, unethical behavior, embezzlement of public funds, influence trafficking, and illicit enrichment,” he added. Justifying his argument, Mr. Mbala emphasized that the DRC is a country that promotes good governance. “To speak of good governance, we must speak of transparency. To speak of transparency, we must speak of accountability. And to achieve accountability, every citizen living in the DRC, especially in Kinshasa, must know the source of their resources,” he stressed.
Public Integrity and the Fight Against Organized Crime
“Today, I wanted to be with all heads of urban public service bodies in Kinshasa to reflect for three days on public integrity and the fight against organized crime. The objective is to develop a shared understanding in the management of public affairs within their institutions, services, and public organizations,” he said. Mr. Mbala also expressed the hope that Kinshasa would be transformed according to the competence of its people. “We want Kinshasa to be transformed based on human capability. This means placing people at the center because there is talent in individuals, but unethical behavior is beginning to stifle the competence that people can bring to transform Kinshasa,” he noted.
The “Kinshasa Ezo Bonga” Program: A Promise of Transformation
Speaking about the *Kinshasa Ezo Bonga* program initiated by the governor of the capital, Laddy Lombi, OSCEP Deputy Director General highlighted: “This is not just a slogan, but a promise of transformation, an invitation to build together a capital worthy of its citizens and its history. Many people, when talking about these changes, recall the nostalgic past of the 1960s and 1970s when Kinshasa was called ‘Kin Labelle.’ I believe it is time to surpass these levels and aim higher: modernizing the city and all its structures. Kinshasa must reflect our country. ‘Kin ezo bonga’ means we refuse resignation and mediocrity. It signifies our belief in a more prosperous, cleaner, safer, and better-organized city, where every citizen finds their place and contributes to collective development.” He added, “Together, let us turn these values into action, not empty words. The overall situation in Kinshasa will not improve through hollow speeches or promises, but through our daily commitment, courage, and fidelity to this vision.” This three-day workshop (February 26th–27th and March 2nd) was financially supported and technically supervised by the Fund for the Fight Against Organized Crime (FOLUCCO), with 100 urban public service leaders from institutions, services, public organizations, and civil society in Kinshasa participating.