In 1997 Laurent Kabila's forced took control of Congo, after 30 years of Mobutu Sese Seko as its dictator. It was not just his military might that allowed him to take power; his promise for radical change in a country that had grown stagnant proved popular with the masses. Yet Kabila has inherited a wealth of problems. The educated middle class are being squeezed; many cannot afford to feed their children, and those who have jobs are often not paid for months on end. Kinshasa, a bustling city of 5 million, is quite literally falling to pieces. The American-educated finance minister is unable to kick-start the economy as he is strapped for cash. The currency is also now worthless after government interference; one US dollar, which in the past would have bought you 1 Zaire, can now buy you 100,000 at Kinshasa's informal currency exchange. Expectations for Kabila's rule are mixed. On the one hand many are hopeful for change, and the country's natural resources (gold, diamonds and cobalt) signify its potential to become one of the richest countries in Africa. Yet hopes for democracy are waining; Kabila refuses to hold elections right away, and his banning of other political parties and demonstrations to ensure "political stability" are reminiscent of Mobutu's rule. ABC Australia reports from the country, interviewing locals and government official on a country at a crossroads.

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