# DRC national population census preparations > Live situation record from CLSTR: https://clstr.news/situations/drc-national-population-census-preparations > Updated: 2026-09-30T06:27:42.000Z. Sources: 6. Developments: 2. The Democratic Republic of the Congo is preparing for its second General Population and Housing Census (RGPH-2), the first national census since 1984. The initiative began with a mobilization campaign led by Guylain Nyembo, the Minister of State for Planning and Coordination of Development Aid, who met with provincial governors and local authorities in the central region to encourage public participation. As the planning progresses, the government has set a target to complete census operations by July 2027. Officials, including Communication Minister Patrick Muyaya, have engaged with the media to clarify logistics and financing. The administration noted that the timeline is intended to avoid overlapping with the 2028 electoral cycle to prevent political confusion. While security concerns in certain regions present challenges to deployment, the government is working with specialized partners to manage these risks. The updated demographic data is intended to serve as a foundation for national development planning and public policy. ## Timeline ### 2026-09-30: DRC government targets July 2027 for second national population census The Democratic Republic of the Congo aims to complete its second general population census by July 2027, seeking to provide essential data for national planning while avoiding political overlap with 2028. 2 sources. https://clstr.news/cluster/drc-government-targets-july-2027-for-second-national-population-census ### 2026-09-17: DRC Planning Minister launches population census mobilization DRC Planning Minister Guylain Nyembo has launched a mobilization campaign for the country's second general population census, the first since 1984, to improve national development planning. 5 sources. https://clstr.news/cluster/drc-planning-minister-launches-population-census-mobilization --- Cite as: DRC national population census preparations. CLSTR, https://clstr.news/situations/drc-national-population-census-preparations