A drive on a Saturday night to the airport makes you get a glimpse of how 15 million Kinois live courageously in this concrete jungle. It is a far cry from the republic of Gombe with its ever growing set of potholes and fancy buildings. Here the roads are just mud baths and the buildings are churches, betting clubs, restaurants, hotels, hospitals and unfinished buildings.

The bars are packed, the nightclubs are vibing.

The motorbikes are transporting people at high speed and through tiny cracks between cars. 2, 3, 4 people or kids or even babies, there is no limit to how many can squeeze on them.

This town is electric, alive and fighting for survival.

As you drive through Tshangu or as it’s known here, “La Chine Populaire” or popular China as it has a huge population, you get smacked in the face by the mixed overpowering stench of salted fish, plastic waste being burned and fumes from all the run down buses and cars.

You can’t see much as the whole neighbourhood is suddenly swallowed by a power cut. The only lights you can perceive are the faint boulevard street lights and the bars and clubs with their neon signage while headlights blind you.

You are constantly looking out for motorcycles and taxi buses that weave and surf between lanes.

Everyone is used to the chaos, everyone stares at you in your big car while they’re all squeezed in tight spaces.

But what’s certain, despite the chaos and filth, this town loves a good party.

You can feel it as you hear and see the people dress to impress and venture puddles and bad driving just to be seen, have a beer and dance to a few tunes of Innos B or Fally.