Roads and Railways in D.R.C.

In 1965 there were trains running once a week between Lubumbashi and Dilolo (border town with Angola) according to my Aunt, who arrived in Congo that year, the same year that Mobutu Sese Seko took power in the country he was to exploit until 1997. Now there is a train on that route once every 3 months. Last year, Soeur Terese, a Belgium nun working in Congo since 1955, now in her 80's took the train back to her home in Dilolo, the journey of approx 500 miles took 14 days. This BBC article offers an interesting insight into the current state of the SNCC the national Congolese railway.
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-africa-15859686
The UN map from the BBC article shows the lack of roads and railways across the country making it impossible to travel around this vast country on the ground.

One week till elections.

Since the spate of violence a couple of weeks ago in Lubumbashi I have heard from friends and colleagues that the situation has been relatively peaceful. However, there is still a level of tension and anxiety around the elections which are to take place a week today. This interesting and insightful BBC report paints a rather gloomy picture of the overall situation in DRCongo. http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-africa-15775445
Our thoughts and prayers are with you Congo as you head to the polls. It is my hope that Congo will see peace, prosperity and stability over the coming years.

Instability in Lubumbashi

Sadly instability has been felt in Lubumbashi since Saturday with outbreaks of violence, looting the burning of cars. It is reported that a number of people have been injured and four people have been killed. The Governor of Katanga, Moise Katumbi Chapwe has called on community leaders to bring calm to the insecurity.

http://radiookapi.net/actualite/2011/11/09/elections-moise-katumbi-implique-les-leaders-communautaires-dans-la-lutte-contre-la-violence/