‘I’ve never been counted’: DR Congo’s first census in 42 years 

Bunia, Democratic Republic of the Congo – For Heritier Ramazani, being counted is about more than a population figure. It could be the first time the Congolese state officially recognises his existence.

The 28-year-old resident of Bunia, the capital of Ituri province in northeastern Democratic Republic of the Congo, has never appeared in a national census and has no official document confirming his Congolese citizenship.

“I’ve never been registered in a census since I was born,” Ramazani told Al Jazeera.

“Being registered and having my identity card will make me very happy.”

His experience reflects a wider challenge in the DRC, where millions of people have grown up without official documents confirming their identity.

Now, 42 years after the country’s last census, authorities are preparing to count the population again.

The previous census was conducted in 1984, when the country was still known as Zaire. Since then, the DRC has experienced decades of political upheaval, armed conflict and rapid population growth.

The World Bank estimates the country’s population at about 112 million people, with an annual growth rate of roughly 3.2 percent.

The government says the census will provide reliable data for planning public services. For many residents, however, the issue is more immediate: being officially recorded by the state.

Identity on paper

In Bunia, where years of violence involving armed groups have displaced communities across Ituri province, access to official documents remains a major concern.

Because national identity cards have not been widely available for decades, voter registration cards have long served as one of the few widely accepted forms of identification for many Congolese.

Gedeon Katembo, a 36-year-old father of three, hopes the census will help create a stronger system for issuing identity documents.

“It is essential to know how many Congolese people there are in the country and around the world,” Katembo told Al Jazeera.

“The census can also help to strengthen national unity.”

The absence of widespread identity documents is rooted in decades of political instability, weak administrative systems and conflict that has disrupted state services across much of the country.

Counting amid conflict

The census will begin with a digital mapping exercise in which teams will identify inhabited areas before household data collection starts.

The task will be immense. The DRC covers more than 2.3 million square kilometres (888 square miles), and many communities remain difficult to reach because of poor roads, limited infrastructure and insecurity.

Henri Marie Kazadi, technical coordinator of the Central Census Office at the National Institute of Statistics, said the exercise would rely on digital tools rather than paper forms.

“The census is digital. We will be using tablets and smartphones to collect the data,” he told Al Jazeera.

“The mapping exercise is designed to prepare for the main phase of the general census. We are deploying teams of cartographers in the field to identify and geolocate all inhabited places, after which the actual census will follow.”

The Ministry of Planning, through the National Institute of Statistics and the Central Census Office, began recruiting field workers in June for the mapping phase.

But in eastern DRC, where armed groups remain active, reaching every community will be one of the biggest challenges.

Muyisa Hangi Christophe, an activist with Filimbi, a pro-democracy civic movement, said displacement could prevent many people from being counted.

“We find ourselves almost in a situation where it is impossible to organise the census,” he told Al Jazeera.

“State authority is not effectively established across the whole national territory, and there are massive population displacements, as the census requires people to be interviewed in their respective communities.”

Politics of the count

The census also comes at a politically sensitive moment.

Efforts to establish a national identification system began under former President Joseph Kabila, but the process stalled during the political crisis that followed the end of his constitutional mandate.

With general elections expected in 2028, some opposition figures and civil society groups fear population figures could become politically contested, particularly over representation and governance.

Ebuteli, a Kinshasa-based research institute, has warned that the census could become increasingly sensitive as the country debates constitutional changes and its political future.

Prince Bitaki, an opposition politician, said authorities must ensure the process is not used for political purposes.

“A census is all well and good, but why carry it out when the country is heading towards a crucial moment when we should instead be preparing for the upcoming elections?” he told Al Jazeera.

The government rejects claims that the census has political motives, saying it is a routine state exercise designed to improve national planning.

For development analysts, the value of the census lies in helping authorities make decisions based on accurate population data rather than estimates.

Maneno Kakule Ndavugha, a development analyst, said the figures could help determine where schools, hospitals, roads, water systems and electricity projects are most needed.

“It makes no sense for the state to build a football stadium in an area where there are only older people,” he told Al Jazeera.

Reliable census data could help officials understand where people live, their living conditions and what services are required.

For residents such as Ramazani and Katembo, however, the census is not just about numbers. It is about finally appearing in official records and obtaining documents that many Congolese have never had.

For Katembo, official identity documents represent a form of recognition that many Congolese feel they have long lacked.

“Through these cards, we will regain the nationality we lost over 40 years ago,” Katembo told Al Jazeera.