Kerry Calls for Timely Election in Meeting with Congo’s Kabila

Lesley Wroughton | Reuters 

U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry stressed the need for timely and credible elections in the Democratic Republic of Congo during a recent meeting with President Joseph Kabila, the State Department said on Monday amid concerns by opposition groups that Kabila may be seeking to delay elections.

DRC Eyes Membership of East African Railway Project

APA

The Democratic Republic of Congo has expressed strong commitment to joining the multi-billion Standard Gauge Railway-SGR project, a statement attributed to President Joseph Kabila indicated.In the statement seen by APA on Monday, President Kabila said a leap forward has been taken to that effect with a proposal already before the DRC parliament for ratification.

Mobile Airtime Touts Show Congo’s Franc is Set to Weaken Further

Tom Wilson | Bloomberg News

Mobile-phone airtime touts on the streets of the Democratic Republic of Congo’s capital have accepted what analysts reckon is inevitable — the franc is going to fall further.

Elephant Poachers Kill Rangers, Wound Swedish Park Manager in Congo

Reuters 

Elephant poachers killed three rangers in Democratic Republic of Congo’s Garamba wildlife park and wounded two other people including the Swedish park manager, environmental officials said. One of the rangers was found dead near the site of the Saturday attack, said African Parks, which manages the UNESCO world heritage site.

Papa Wemba’s Influential, Cross-Cultural Chic

Guy Trebay | New York Times  

Throughout a career spanning decades, Papa Wemba remained among the most persuasive global proponents of African music. Singing in his supple, piquant tenor, he transmitted the propulsive hybrid originally known as Congolese rumba (later, soukous) far beyond the boundaries of Africa.