The Nouvelle Génération Congolaise, a dynamic youth structure, held a press conference in Kinshasa today to address the ongoing constitutional reform debate that has divided political actors across the country.

While acknowledging that constitutional reform is a legitimate right rather than a crime, the group emphasized that three critical conditions must be satisfied before any changes are considered: “a clearly demonstrated necessity, a sufficiently broad national consensus, and a peaceful political climate.”

Key Demands Before Constitutional Reform

The youth organization has set forth a series of fundamental questions that must be answered transparently before the constitutional revision process can proceed:

  • Why change the Constitution now?
  • What specific problems does this change aim to resolve?
  • How will this reform concretely improve the lives of Congolese citizens?
  • Who will be the main beneficiaries: the nation or certain political actors?
  • How can we ensure this reform strengthens democracy rather than serving private interests?

“Before taking sides, we must ask the right questions,” declared Mukenge Totoro, spokesperson for the Nouvelle Génération. “Tant que ces questions n’auront pas de réponses claires, transparentes et convaincantes, le débat continuera d’alimenter la méfiance et la division.”

The group stressed its commitment to the principles of the Republic, stability, and the Congolese people, rejecting the notion of youth as mere electoral reserves or mobilization tools for political interests not aligned with their own.

The Nouvelle Génération called for the youth to become “a force for reflection, proposal, citizen oversight, and national transformation.”

Position on the Opposition’s ‘Ville Morte’ Strike

Regarding today’s ville morte strike called by the opposition to reject the constitutional change project, the youth organization recognized it as a legitimate right to protest, enshrined in the Constitution. However, they urged all parties to prioritize dialogue, constructive ideas, and reform over confrontation.

Samyr Lukombo