Prototype rebuild by the IMB Innovation Team. The official site is peoplegroups.org.

People group profile · PG014583

The Kele of the Democratic Republic of the Congo

The Kele of the Democratic Republic of the Congo, numbering about 662,000 people, are Engaged yet Unreached. They are a language of Democratic Republic of Congo, former Orientale province: Isangi Territory, on Lomami and Congo rivers.

They are an indigenous people in the Bantu, Central-Congo people cluster of the Sub-Saharan African Peoples. Their primary religion is Neo-Pentecostalism, and they primarily speak Kele (Democratic Republic of Congo).

Pray for the KelePrint profile

AI-generated illustration representing the Kele people
AI-generated illustration, not a photograph. Photo by Google. (2026). Image generated by Gemini 2.5 Flash: Kele

Fast facts

Country
Congo, Democratic Republic of the
Population
662,000
Affinity group
Sub-Saharan African Peoples
People cluster
Bantu, Central-Congo
Primary language
Kele (Democratic Republic of Congo) (khy)
Primary religion
Neo-Pentecostalism
Strategic Progress Index
Engaged yet Unreached
Evangelical
Less than 2%
GSEC
Less than 2% Evangelical, No Recent CP Activity
Lostness priority
Expanding Unreached People Group
Region
Middle Africa, Africa

Where they live

Gospel status

The Kele are Engaged yet Unreached, which means fewer than 2% are evangelical Christians, but there are sustained efforts to establish self-sustaining churches consistent with evangelical faith and practice. In GSEC terms, this people group is less than 2% evangelical, some evangelical resources are available, but there has been no active church planting among them within the past two years.

  • Congregations exist Yes
  • Church planting in the last two years No Churches Planted

Next steps for the Kele

  • Continue prayer and fasting for this group
  • Continue gospel seed sowing and church planting among this group
  • Begin training up local leaders to lead and develop strategies to reach their own people

Primary religion

Neo-Pentecostalism · Christianity

Primary language

Kele (Democratic Republic of Congo) · Atlantic-Congo family

100% speak Kele (Democratic Republic of Congo)

Gospel resources in Kele (Democratic Republic of Congo)

  • Bible available, published 1958
  • JESUS Film available
  • Radio programs not available
  • Gospel recordings available
  • Audio resources available
  • Bible stories not available

Films

Find more at the JESUS Film Project, Bible.com and Faith Comes by Hearing.

Pray for the Kele

  1. Revelation 7:9. Pray for the day when people from this group stand before the throne with every nation, tribe, people and language.
  2. John 17:3. Pray that many will come to know the only true God, and Jesus Christ whom he has sent.
  3. Psalm 27:1. Pray that new believers will be strengthened in the face of persecution, with the Lord as their stronghold.
  4. Romans 12:4–5. Pray that believers from many cultures will work together as one body so that the church is built up.

Download a prayer guide

Know something we don't? Submit updates to IMB Global Research.