Kinshasa’s Tattooed Street Sweepers Bring Clean Up and Controversy

KINSHASA — With brooms in hand and tattoos covering their faces, a team of unlikely street cleaners is taking on the mountains of rubbish choking the streets of the Democratic Republic of Congo’s capital.

The workers, dressed in blue overalls and yellow boots, are members of a paramilitary National Service force made up partly of former gang members. Nicknamed “builders,” they began cleaning Kinshasa’s streets in June after President Felix Tshisekedi ordered the National Service to help tackle the capital’s worsening sanitation crisis.

On a recent day near Victory Roundabout, around 50 builders swept rubbish from the boulevard under the watch of an army officer.

“Come on! Get to work!” the officer shouted as two workers paused briefly from their duties.

Their arrival has been welcomed by some residents who have long struggled with overflowing rubbish, blocked drainage systems and a lack of public waste bins.

“Today the city has become clean, and that makes us extremely happy,” said Richard Edambe, a resident near Victory Roundabout.

Another resident, Kevin Mwembwe, said the presence of the crews had also changed people's behaviour.

“When the builders arrive, people are afraid to throw rubbish away,” he said.

Cleaning Through Force

Kinshasa, home to roughly 17 million people, faces persistent problems with waste collection and urban sanitation. Rubbish is frequently dumped in streets, drains and waterways, contributing to pollution and worsening living conditions.

The National Service was established in 1997 under the authority of the presidency. Its mandate includes the reintegration of young people associated with the “kuluna” gangs that have long been accused of terrorising residents in parts of Kinshasa.

The recruits undergo military, technical and civic training and have been given paramilitary status.

Their street-cleaning campaign, however, has generated concern over allegations of excessive force and abuse.

In the Bandalungwa neighbourhood, an individual who crossed a road being cleaned by the builders was stopped and ordered to join the sweeping operation. When he refused, members of the group reportedly struck him several times with sticks until he complied, according to an AFP correspondent who witnessed the incident.

Videos alleging similar abuses by the paramilitary crews have also circulated widely on social media.

Tackling Markets, Moving the Problem

The builders have also targeted informal street markets, forcing vendors from major public spaces and confiscating merchandise.

But informal markets have quickly returned in other locations.

“When the builders arrive, people are afraid to throw rubbish away,” residents say, but environmental specialists warn that short-term enforcement alone cannot solve Kinshasa’s underlying sanitation problems.

“When the builders move on, the community returns to its old habits,” said Eric Ndilu, an environmental specialist in urban sanitation management.

Ndilu said the city lacks the infrastructure and long-term policies necessary to manage its waste effectively. He previously attempted to launch a project involving connected public bins but struggled to secure funding.

“Cleaning up a city requires a whole policy,” he said, adding that authorities are currently unable even to accurately estimate how much waste Kinshasa produces each day.

Albert Malukisa, a researcher at Congolese think tank Ebuteli, similarly described the current approach as simply “moving the problem elsewhere.” He noted that there are insufficient treatment facilities for the waste collected by the crews.

Poverty at the Root of the Crisis

Experts say Kinshasa’s sanitation challenges cannot be separated from the city's broader economic and infrastructure problems.

“Indiscipline is the result of extreme poverty and a lack of infrastructure,” Malukisa said.

The absence of adequate public bins, waste-treatment facilities and reliable collection systems leaves residents with few options for disposing of rubbish.

Ndilu also criticised what he described as the chaotic management of urban sanitation, arguing that political considerations can sometimes take precedence over long-term planning.

Concerns Over a Growing Paramilitary Presence

Beyond sanitation, the National Service's growing visibility on Kinshasa's streets has raised concerns about its potential role in maintaining public order.

The opposition is preparing protests over a proposed constitutional change that critics say could potentially allow Tshisekedi to seek a third term. Against that backdrop, observers fear that the National Service could become more involved in policing political unrest.

“The country is going to experience major political tensions, mainly in Kinshasa,” Malukisa said. “If the police are overwhelmed, it is obvious they will call on the National Service.”

Emmanuel Cole, an activist focused on prisoners' rights, has also questioned how some recruits are selected. He alleged that recruitment may involve nepotism or tribal considerations and said some recruits were sent directly to training camps without first appearing before a court.

A justice ministry official told AFP that some recruits had not been brought before a judge.

National Service officials did not respond to requests for comment from AFP.

A Cleaner Capital, but at What Cost?

For residents living along Kinshasa's heavily polluted streets, the immediate impact of the campaign is visible.

At Victory Roundabout, rubbish has been cleared, drains have been opened and pedestrians are encountering cleaner public spaces.

Motorcycle taxi driver Auguy Bayaya recalled how the area had previously been covered in plastic bags and bottles, with blocked drains making it difficult to breathe.

“Fortunately, the builders came and restored discipline,” he said.

But environmental experts and rights advocates warn that lasting change will require more than paramilitary enforcement.

Without reliable waste collection, adequate disposal facilities, public bins and sustained investment, the rubbish is likely to return — even after the builders have moved on.

For Kinshasa, the challenge is therefore not simply how to clean its streets, but how to build a sanitation system capable of keeping them clean without relying on force.