On 24 February 2025, a court in Kinshasa, capital of the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), sentenced former minister of rural development Francois Rubota to three years in prison for conflict of interest in the...
Kinshasa
The fall of Bukavu: Rwanda, M23, and the battle for influence in the eastern DRC
In mid-February 2025, M23 rebels captured Bukavu, the capital of the eastern DRC’s South Kivu province, with little resistance from government forces. Bukavu is a commercial hub of around 1.3 million people, the fall...
The crucial role of local governance structures
Across Africa, local government is the main governance authority responsible for connecting with local communities. Names given to these structures differ from country to country. Among the more common are...
Gone for good
Sub-Saharan Africa: the medical brain drain Doctors and other medical professionals migrate for many reasons, but their absence seriously compromises health service delivery A brain drain of African medical staff over...
Rivers of arms
Democratic Republic of Congo: arms flow Despite an arms embargo, a constant flow of weapons into the DRC from around the globe ensures that peace remains elusive Since the withdrawal of foreign troops in 2003, the...
The politics of service delivery in African cities
Due to the economic relevance and growing concentration of voters in African cities, these territorial entities represent sites of intense political competition Urbanisation represents one of the main demographic...
