The Congolese elite and the fragmented city: the struggle for the emergence of a dominant class in Kinshasa

This paper examines the current situation in the city of Kinshasa, including the position of the Congolese elite in the city and its relationship to the Congolese state. The author first looks at the history of the Democratic Republic of the Congo and how its class structure has formed before going on to consider the network of Congolese cities and their relation to the political economy of the country. Beginning with a brief overview of colonial history, the author considers to what extent Kinshasa is a city being made or taken over by an indigenous elite.