Kinshasa, October 7th, 2026 (CPA).- The possibility of admitting students from private universities to the Kinshasa/Gombe Bar in the capital of the Democratic Republic of Congo was discussed between the Minister in charge of Human Rights and officials of the Bar, according to a statement consulted by CPA on Wednesday.
“The Minister in charge of Human Rights held fruitful discussions with officials of the Kinshasa/Gombe Bar on Tuesday, October 7th in Kinshasa.
The discussions focused on strengthening the protection of lawyers and the possibility of admitting students from universities other than the University of Kinshasa (UNIKIN), the University of Lubumbashi (UNILU) and the University of Kisangani (UNIKIS) to the Kinshasa/Gombe Bar,” the statement from the Ministry’s Communications Unit said.
Regarding the admission of students from universities other than the three public universities, Minister Samuel Mbemba said that he had undertaken advocacy efforts on the matter, while acknowledging that Bar associations enjoy autonomy.
He reassured that discussions would continue with a view to finding a structural solution in the near future. “In our view, it is not normal for students who have duly graduated from universities accredited or recognized under the framework law on national education to be excluded from access to the Kinshasa/Gombe Bar,” he said.
The initiative by the Minister in charge of Human Rights is based on one of the fundamental principles of human rights, namely “equality,” the source pointed out.
The source further indicated that the Minister in charge of Human Rights had pledged to ensure that, during the second edition of the National Human Rights Forum, scheduled for next December, the National Bar Association, the High Council of the Judiciary, as well as officials in charge of defense, security and intelligence forces, would jointly reflect on ways of ensuring that lawyers enjoy immunity on an equal footing with parliamentarians and others. ACP/