“Weapons for Development Items” campaign: What guarantees are offered to those who surrender their weapons?

Since September, the Democratic Republic of the Congo has been running a voluntary civilian disarmament campaign called “Weapons for Development Items,” scheduled to continue until December 22, 2026. It covers six areas—Kinshasa, Kongo Central, Tshopo, Tanganyika, Grand Équateur and Grand Kasaï—and aims to curb the illicit circulation of small arms and light weapons and improve public safety. Okapi Service examines how weapons can be handed in, what happens to them afterward, and the promised guarantees of anonymity and protection from prosecution for participants. The programme discusses these issues with John-César Bofaka Bakambo of the CNC-ALPC and Emmanuel Mulenga Ntambala, an adviser to the Justice Minister.