Since fighting broke out between the Congolese government Congolese rebels joined by Rwandan, Ugandan, and Burundian troops, Kinshasa has been cut off from many of the areas that supplied food to the capital. Food is now scarce and expensive, forcing some families to only eat two meals per week.
Unemployment is rampant in Kinshasa.
According to IRIN, about two-thirds of the estimated population of five million is unemployed. Those working are underpaid or do not get paid at all. Many civil servants have not received their wages for months. Fuel in Kinshasa is very expensive, making transportation very difficult. In the early morning hours, thousands of people form lines in the streets waiting for transportation to take them to work.