DRC: Eddy Kapend urges young intellectuals to build a disciplined, professional army

General Eddy Kapend urged young intellectuals to join the Armed Forces of the Democratic Republic of the Congo at a meeting with young parliamentarians in Lubumbashi on November 7, 2026. The commander of the 22nd military region said recruiting educated young people could strengthen discipline and improve military leadership. Kapend said the FARDC must leave behind its former negative image and become a professional army led by intellectuals. His appeal comes as the country faces security challenges in the east, where the FARDC are defending territorial integrity against armed groups and what the article describes as aggression attributed to Rwanda.