The most important actor in the Congolese conflict is the state. Since colonization, the Congolese state has been managed by a narrow elite with relatively little investment in the public interest. The term Bula Matari, ‘The breaker of rocks’ in Kikongo, was coined to refer to the brutal extraction of resources by the central government. 

The Third Republic, inaugurated with the 2006 constitution, was meant to bring an end to decades of corruption and violence. It ushered in new democratic institutions––parliaments at the national and provincial levels, guarantees of judicial independence, a raft of individual rights, and regular elections overseen by an election commission to just a few. And yet, violence persists and the economy, while growing strongly, is extremely skewed to benefit a narrow subsection of Congolese.

This  aims at stimulating the national debate on citizen participation in the management of the country, the accountability of key institutions in their day-to-day management and the vision of a different Congo. It does this through investigations, public debates, and polling. Together with Bureau d’Études, de Recherches, et de Consulting International (BERCI), we  have conducted six national opinion polls, providing an insight on how Congolese perceive their government, as well as key policy initiatives. We have also published four reports on Congolese electoral institutions, as well as the leaked results of the 2018 elections. Each week, CRG also publishes its flagship blog Ebuteli, analyzing Congolese political dynamics.

CRG is currently developing a new project to continue this work and to bring together leading Congolese intellectuals with a new generation of activists to think about how to promote a more equitable society.