Goma

By Nazanine Moshiri in Africa on May 20th, 2012

When you cross the border from Rwanda into Goma, you leave what is a pristine tarmacked road, and drive into a bumpy pothole-filled one. This small observation says so much. 

Rwanda, the site of genocide where a sixth of the population was wiped out, has made a remarkable transition with the help of the international community. The Democratic Republic of Congo, a country the size of Western Europe, remains one of the poorest places in the world.

Goma is located on the northern shores of Lake Kivu, and on the border with Gisenyi in Rwanda, it is the capital of North Kivu region.

After a relatively stable period, this city is now close to renewed fighting in the region.

By Azad Essa in Africa on December 3rd, 2011
Photo by Azad Essa

Walikale is one of those towns you won't spot from the window of a plane.

Squeezed between rolling carpets of treetops, you might just detect a brown blot on a green canvas if you strain your eyes hard enough.

By Azad Essa in Africa on November 27th, 2011
The capital of North Kivu state, with Mount Nyiragongo in the background [Azad Essa/ Al Jazeera]

Flashes of lightning illuminate Lake Kivu as thunder crackles above. The storm causes the lights to trip and disrupts the internet connection at our place of rest, the Ihusi Hotel.

The hotel, which overlooks the lake, is a meeting place - or hunting ground - for UN types, election observers, haughty journalists, as well as certain undesirables.

UN cars line the parking lot. French-speaking receptionists ignore requests made in Queen's English and poll monitors insist on parading around in their election observer vests (Can sipping cocktails at the bar could ever be free or fair?

The road from the Rwandan border into Goma is bustling with activity and the construction sites lining it suggest the city is undergoing a facelift.

But when the neatly tarmacked road ends, another Goma presents itself in the form of the gigantic BDGL roundabout.

By Azad Essa in Africa on November 22nd, 2011

It is a beautiful sight: watching a thunderstorm rock the Nairobi night skyline. Driving on the roads of the Kenyan capital the following morning is somewhat less pleasant.

With last minute arrangements already causing some dithering, the first leg of our journey to cover the elections in the Democratic Republic of Congo almost turns disastrous when one smart Aleck instructs the local driver to take a "slip road" to the airport in order to avoid Nairobi's monstrous early morning traffic. 

The slip road starts as an impressive sand track but soon enough turns into a mud pit, complete with dancing cars and tilted trucks -- left mostly immobile after making some wrong moves on the gooey roadway.

It seems we might miss that flight after all.

To put the drama into perspective: we need to catch a plane from Nairobi to Kigali via the Burundi capital, Bujumbura.

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