The bill was introduced by MP Misare Claude, who represents the Uvira district in South Kivu in the National Assembly, and it calls for everyone between the ages of 18 and 30 to participate in military service.

In his proposal, as reported by RTNC (Radio-Télévision Nationale Congolaise), Misare says that the DRC should no longer "rely on foreign forces to ensure its security."

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He says that despite the serious security challenges and armed rebel groups the country is facing, Congolese youth are numerous enough to address the shortage of soldiers.

In the eastern part of the country, the DRC government is at war with the AFC/M23 rebel group and is also facing other security threats from groups such as ADF-Nalu and others.

Kinshasa has taken different approaches to respond to these challenges, including strengthening and increasing the size of the army. In 2022, the army recruited more than 10,000 new soldiers.

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In 2023, President Félix Tshisekedi recruited around 31,000 new young people, according to the army. The military budget has also been increased every year since the war with M23 began.

The Democratic Republic of Congo currently has 150,000 soldiers, a number the authorities say is too small for a population of more than 100 million. The goal is to increase the number of soldiers to at least 500,000.