Understanding Violence and Economic Crimes in the City of Kasumbalesa, DRC: The Tears of the Ruminants

Mbale Kizekele Allen, et Kawit Yav Lucide

Abstract: This article presents an academic analysis of urban violence in Kasumbalesa, a strategic border town between the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) and Zambia, frequently perceived as a mere commercial transit zone. The study reveals a far more complex socio-political landscape, characterized by recurrent acts of vandalism, extortion, and insecurity, which emerge from intricate interactions between political, economic, and institutional actors. By examining the narratives of those who perpetrate these acts (often legitimized through mechanisms of neutralization) the research delves into the psychosocial, identity-based, and economic dimensions of deviant behaviors within this urban context. The study aims to understand how localized political, economic, and social tensions contribute to the persistence of violence, and how such acts function as strategies of spatial appropriation, quests for legitimacy, or forms of resistance to state authority. The central hypothesis posits that institutional fragility, compounded by political manipulation and the complicity of certain state agents, fosters the emergence of parallel authorities and the normalization of violence. This process ultimately undermines local governance and compromises long-term security in Kasumbalesa.

Keywords: violence, economic crime, techniques of neutralization, social interrelation paradigm

How to Cite?: Mbale Kizekele Allen, et Kawit Yav Lucide, "Understanding Violence and Economic Crimes in the City of Kasumbalesa, DRC: The Tears of the Ruminants", Volume 14 Issue 12, December 2025, International Journal of Science and Research (IJSR), Pages: 1490-1498, https://www.ijsr.net/getabstract.php?paperid=SR25824215526, DOI: https://dx.doi.org/10.21275/SR25824215526