According to information from the civil status and population services of the city of Kinshasa, it was announced that 234,000 birth certificates were issued this year. This figure represents a rate of 66%, an improvement of 6% compared to the previous year. These data were communicated during an evaluation session held at the CENCO reception center, located in the commune of N’sele in Kinshasa.
Me Noel Luenda, head of the civil status and population service at the Provincial Division of the Ministry of the Interior, highlighted several points during this event. He noted certain weaknesses such as delays in the delivery of birth certificates in some offices, which constitutes a problem within the administration. He also highlighted the common confusion between the death certificate and the burial permit, recalling that these are two separate documents, issued in different places.
For Mr. Noel Luenda, the main challenge for the year 2025 lies in significantly improving the performance of civil status and population services in the capital. He insists on the need to retrain administrative staff in order to guarantee the quality of the services provided. He therefore recommends training and monitoring agents so that they master work standards, data recording and record keeping. In addition, he suggests an awareness campaign for the population on the importance of birth, death and marriage certificates for a better understanding of these official documents.
To achieve these objectives, a retraining plan for administrative staff and awareness-raising actions are planned. It is essential to prioritize continuous training and improvement of the skills of agents in order to ensure optimal service to the population. Thanks to these measures, civil status and population services will be able to respond more effectively to the needs of Kinshasa citizens and contribute to strengthening public administration in the city.
Ultimately, the implementation of these actions should make it possible to improve the functioning of civil status and population services, thus strengthening citizens’ confidence in these institutions which are essential to the life of Congolese society.