▪️Kenya’s sensational southpaw Ellah Demesi is brimming with confidence
November 7, 2026
Fourteen African boxers—headlined by Kenyan sensation Ellah Demesi—have bypassed the opening rounds to land straight in the quarter-finals of the Youth Olympic Games in Dakar, Senegal.
Following Thursday’s official draw, eight male and six female pugilists from the continent earned coveted byes ahead of today’s tournament opener on November 7, 2026.
• Kenya’s Ellah Demesi: Fresh off a standout campaign as Kenya’s top performer at the World U19 Championships in Bangkok, the flyweight star will face the winner of the pre-quarter clash between New Zealand’s Lea Newman and Venezuela’s Grenyelis Garcia.
• Nigeria’s Shukurat Mayowa: Also advancing directly to the last eight, the female minimumweight contender awaits the victor of a gritty bout between Thailand’s Pemika Payungkasem and Algeria’s Bouthania Bensalah.
As Africa hosts the Youth Olympic Games for the first time in history, 27 boxers from across the continent (14 men and 13 women) are vying for podium glory on home soil.
Action starts in earnest today, with seven African fighters stepping into the ring for the opening session.
Commenting on the draw, Demesi told boxersworld.co.ke she’s happy to be in the quarter-finals and ready for any opponent.
“I’m here to win a medal for my country I don’t care whom I’ll meet, she should just prepare for a tough fight,” said Demesi in a telephone interview.
She’s happy with life in the Games Village.
“I can’t complain though they don’t have my favourite food pilau, I’m eating mostly rice and potatoes.”
Coach David Munuhe is delighted Demesi is already in the quarters.
“The bye is very welcome, it’s to our advantage, she’s confident of bringing home a medal,” Munuhe told boxersworld.co.ke.
▪️Their appearance will carry added significance as Dakar 2026 becomes the first Olympic sporting event to be held on African soil, giving Senegal’s young athletes the opportunity to compete on the Youth Olympic stage in front of a home crowd.
November 4, 2026
Soda Faye, Mame Cheikh Ibrahima Fall Faye and Khadidiatou Boiro will represent host nation Senegal when the boxing competition at the Dakar 2026 Youth Olympic Games begins on 7 November.
The three young boxers will compete in the men’s 50kg, women’s 57kg and women’s 60kg categories at the Dakar Expo Centre, where 116 athletes from 77 countries will contest ten titles across five men’s and five women’s divisions.
Their appearance will carry added significance as Dakar 2026 becomes the first Olympic sporting event to be held on African soil, giving Senegal’s young athletes the opportunity to compete on the Youth Olympic stage in front of a home crowd.
Soda Faye will compete in the women’s 57kg category after building valuable international experience over the past year.
Despite having only two to three years of experience in the sport, Faye attracted attention through an unbeaten run in national galas and development competitions before making her mark internationally.
She earned a silver medal at the African Youth Games in Angola in December 2025 and later reached the quarter-finals of the World Boxing Futures Cup in Bangkok, Thailand, in March 2026.
Mame Cheikh Ibrahima Fall Faye will represent Senegal in the men’s 50kg division. Like Soda, he has been boxing for approximately two to three years and established himself through a series of strong performances at national level.
He also competed at the World Boxing Futures Cup, reaching the quarter-finals in Bangkok. His performances were praised by the Senegalese team for the courage, determination and composure he displayed against international opposition.
Senegal’s third representative, Khadidiatou Boiro, will bring a broader combat-sport background to the women’s 60kg competition.
Boiro began her sporting career in 2020 through Chinese boxing and hapkido. She became a two-time Senegalese champion in Chinese boxing and a three-time national champion in hapkido, in which she holds a black belt. She also collected several gold medals in interclub competitions.
After taking up Olympic-style boxing in 2025, Boiro continued her domestic success and has remained unbeaten across championships, interclub competitions and other national events. Her rapid progress has been driven by the strength of character and desire to improve that have defined her sporting journey.
Guiding the three athletes is Senegal youth team head coach Ibrahima Wade, whose own involvement in boxing began at an early age.
Wade progressed through the national age-group system before becoming a multiple Senegalese champion and earning selection for the national team. He represented his country at Zone 2 tournaments, African Championships and several other international competitions.
After moving into coaching, Wade opened a boxing gym named in honour of his late mentor, Antoine Marie Mbengue. He has since devoted himself to grassroots and youth development, helping to prepare a new generation of Senegalese boxers.
A state-certified Level 1 coach, Wade has undertaken further coaching courses in France and China. He was subsequently appointed head coach of Senegal’s Olympic youth team in preparation for Dakar 2026.
Under his leadership, the team competed at the African School Games in Algeria and the African Youth Games in Angola in 2025 before travelling to Bangkok for the World Boxing Futures Cup in March 2026.
The final phase of the team’s preparation included an advanced training camp in China from 21 August to 14 September, attended by Wade and eight members of Senegal’s Olympic youth boxing programme.
For Soda Faye, Mame Cheikh Ibrahima Fall Faye and Khadidiatou Boiro, those years of preparation will culminate with the opportunity to represent their country at a home Youth Olympic Games.
Boxing at Dakar 2026 will take place from 7–12 November, with two sessions scheduled each day.
Clockwise Kenya's renowned Star-3 R&J Nelson Otieno, Kenya's Leila doing her thing in Kinshasa, Leila (left) and Botswana's Lone became the first female R&Js in their respective countries to officiate in the Africa Elite Boxing Championships and Zambia's Darius Kabwe officiating in Kinshasa.
▪️The three have clawed their way to the pinnacle of world boxing officiating through sheer grit, relentless commitment, and heavy personal investment
▪️Boxers will eat with the big spoon in the lucrative IBA Elite President’s Cup tournament
▪️IBA is completely reinventing the game with a brand-new competition model designed to ensure that athletic brilliance receives life-changing financial rewards.
November 6, 2026
After an impressive show in the ring at the IBA Africa Men’s and Women’s Boxing Championships in Kinshasa, Kenya’s renowned Star-3 R&J Nelson “Jaluo Jeuri” Otieno is leading the continent’s elite boxing caravan to Istanbul, Turkey, for the USD 3 million inaugural President’s Cup Championships running from November 27 to December 4.
Otieno, Leila and Lone will stand among the crème de la crème of African Star 3 Referees and Judges (R&Js) selected to officiate this high class tournament.
THE PRICE OF GREATNESS: FROM SELLING CARS TO JETS AND GOLD MEDALS
True excellence isn’t given; it is earned in the shadows. Nelson, Leila, and Lone have clawed their way to the pinnacle of world boxing officiating through sheer grit, relentless commitment, and heavy personal investment—dipping deep into their own pockets to fund their journeys through the grueling IBA Classification Courses.
They aren’t the only ones who risked it all for the love of the sport:
The ultimate gamble: Zimbabwe’s legendary Steve Masiyambumbi famously sold his own car just to finance his trip to Dubai for the elite Star-3 certification course.
The payoff: Today, Masiyambumbi practically lives in the clouds, jetting from continent to continent to call the shots at the world’s biggest international boxing spectacles.
We send our maximum respect and best wishes to these world-class African R&Js as they take center stage in Turkey!
BRAVO IBA ON THE MEGA-MONEY BLUEPRINT: BOXERS TO “EAT WITH A BIG SPOON”
The IBA is completely reinventing the game with a brand-new competition model designed to ensure that athletic brilliance receives life-changing financial rewards.
🏆 The grand finale payouts
In Istanbul, boxers won’t just be fighting for glory—they will be competing for a massive fortune. The placement prize money breakdown per weight category is staggering:Tournament Placement Prize Money (USD)
🥇 1st Place (Champions) $80,000
🥈 2nd Place $40,000
🥉 3rd Place $22,000
🏅 5th Place $5,000
Pay-As-You-Win: Cash from the Very First Bell.
The financial rewards kick off long before the medal rounds. To keep the intensity high from day one, boxers will pocket $500 cash for every single preliminary bout won on their march toward the quarter-finals. The moment a fighter punches their ticket to the quarter-finals, they automatically lock in the minimum fifth-place prize of $5,000.
TEAMWORK MAKES THE DREAM WORK: THE 50-25-25 SPLIT
In a historic move to uplift the entire boxing ecosystem, this revolutionary prize money model recognizes that it takes a village to build a champion. The cash won’t just go into the boxer’s pocket; it will be distributed to sustain the sport from the grassroots up:
1) 50% goes directly to the warrior in the ring (The Boxer)
2) 25% goes to the mastermind in the corner (The Coach)
3) 25% goes to the backbone of the sport (The National Federation)
AN OPEN COMPETITION WELCOMING ELITE AMATEUR AND PROFESSIONAL BOXERS
The IBA President’s Cup 2026 will become the inaugural event of IBA Elite series.
Featuring 14 men’s weight categories, the President’s Cup will be staged as an open international competition welcoming both elite amateur and professional boxers, backed by a total prize money fund of USD 3 million.
The action will take place at the Başakşehir Gençlik ve Spor Tesisleri, a venue already familiar to the international boxing community after hosting the 2022 IBA Women’s World Boxing Championships. Four years later, the arena will once again welcome boxers from around the world — this time for the opening chapter of IBA Elite.
IBA Elite has been created to provide leading boxers with a stronger and more continuous international competition structure, offering regular opportunities to face high-level opposition and progress on sporting merit.
At the centre of the new system will be the IBA World Ranking, designed to accompany boxers throughout their sporting journey and connect their performances across IBA Elite competitions.
Every result will matter. Ranking points earned through competition will build a boxer’s international standing and play an important role in qualification for future editions of the IBA President’s Cup and the IBA World Championships.
This creates a clear sporting pathway in which performances throughout the season can lead towards IBA’s most important competitions.
IBA Elite will also strengthen the bridge towards IBA Pro, giving outstanding boxers the opportunity to showcase themselves internationally and potentially progress into IBA’s professional competition structure.
▪️She is Kenya’s first ever boxer to take part in the Youth Olympic Games
November 6, 2026
One of Kenya’s most successful grassroots coaches, Edward Ogweno, popularly known as “Dembuts,” has expressed confidence that his star boxer, Ellah Demesi, will excel at the Youth Olympic Games boxing tournament starting this Saturday, November 7, in Dakar.
Speaking on behalf of the Kibra Youth Boxing Club—a proven cradle for local boxing talent—Ogweno rallied the nation behind the young fighter.
“We in Kibra Youth and Kenyans as a whole wish Demesi the best of luck in Dakar,” Ogweno told boxersworld.co.ke
“We are all monitoring her closely and pray to God to give her extra strength to come back home with a medal.”
Demesi’s journey from the grassroots rings of Kibra to the global stage in Senegal highlights the vital role local boxing clubs play in nurturing world-class athletic talent.
As she steps into the ring in Dakar, she carries not just the hopes of her community, but the pride of an entire nation, thanks to Boxing Federation of Kenya (BFK) Ndondi Mashinani Initiative.
Kenya’s Ellah Demesi, 16, is one of the African boxers taking part in the Youth Olympic Games in Dakar, Senegal.
November 6, 2026
Boxing at the Dakar 2026 Youth Olympic Games runs from November 7 to November 12, 2026, marking a historic milestone as part of the first-ever Olympic event held on the African continent.
Dates: November 7 – November 12, 2026 (Preliminaries start November 7; medal bouts on November 12).
Location: Dakar Expo Centre (Diamniadio), Senegal.
▪️With a total prize fund of $3 million, the President’s Cup will feature 12 men’s weight categories, with champions receiving $100,000, silver medallists $50,000 and bronze medallists $25,000
November 4, 2026
Two-time Olympic champion Hasanboy Dusmatov (UZB) will face Roderick Bautista (PHI) for the IBA.PRO world title in Istanbul, Türkiye, on 4 December, adding a professional championship contest to the final day of the inaugural International Boxing Association (IBA) President’s Cup.
The 10-round bout at 52.2 kg will be staged alongside the President’s Cup finals at Sinan Erdem Sports Arena, combining elite international competition and professional title boxing on one of the biggest days in the IBA calendar.
Dusmatov, who won Olympic gold at Rio 2016 and Paris 2024, is one of Uzbekistan’s most accomplished boxers. Having established himself among the leading figures in amateur boxing, he is now seeking to add an IBA.PRO world championship belt to his collection of titles.
His opponent, Bautista, will represent the Philippines in a contest that offers both boxers the opportunity to claim the world title on an international stage.
The championship bout will form part of the closing programme of the first IBA President’s Cup, which will take place from 27 November to 4 December.
The tournament marks the launch of IBA Elite, a new international competition platform designed to bring amateur and professional boxers together within a unified sporting pathway.
With a total prize fund of $3 million, the President’s Cup will feature 12 men’s weight categories, with champions receiving $100,000, silver medallists $50,000 and bronze medallists $25,000.
The competition will also open a new IBA World Ranking cycle, with results contributing to qualification for future editions of the President’s Cup and the IBA World Championships.
The finals on 4 December will coincide with the Global Boxing Forum, which will gather representatives of the international boxing community in Ista nbul. The IBA Ordinary Election Congress will follow on 5 December.
▪️The Ugandan boxing queen TKO’s Tanzanian Husna Zamba; Niyonzima and Kazungu triumph too.
▪️Putting aside the profound geopolitical hurdles, promoter Gael Assumani and his regional partners proved that East African boxing can still deliver
November 4, 2026
Kinshasa, DR Congo – Uganda’s rising boxing sensation, Fatuma “The Thunder” Nabikolo, extended her flawless professional ascent with a devastating super-featherweight fourth-round technical knockout (TKO) over Tanzania’s Husna Zamba on October 31 in Goma, DR Congo.
Fighting under the BodyMax Promotions banner, Nabikolo lived up to her moniker. She unleashed a ruthless assault that floored her Tanzanian opponent in the second and third rounds.
“She got the first count in the second round and second one in the third round,” said Fatuma who was on top of her game.
By now the writing was already on the wall: Husna would not finish the full course. Fatuma stepped up pressure in the fourth round, unleashing a barrage of two-fisted flurries which landed with alarming frequency on the tired and bruised Husna who received another count after which the referee decided to wave it off. Enough was enough.
“I’m very happy with the victory and already looking forward to my next pro fight,” a jovial Fatuma told boxersworld.co.ke. “I am aiming straight for the top.”
Fatuma’s victory spearheaded a highly successful night for BodyMax Promotions at the 12-bout card, which was organized by Goma-based promoter-cum-boxer Gael Assumani of Nyama Boxing Promotions. The stable walked away with a perfect clean sweep.
Top Rwandan lightweight Pacific Niyonzima outpointed Uganda’s Johnson Charles over six rounds, while super welterweight Frank Kazungu secured a good hard-fought decision against Uganda’s Mike Lukyamuzi.
“I’m delighted all three of my boxers won their fights,” said an ecstatic Asman Emma, BodyMax CEO and Vice-President of the Rwanda Boxing Federation.
“We are already shifting focus to planning our next big card in Kigali.”
Behind the triumph, however, lay a logistical nightmare for the event organizers. Promoter Gael Assumani expressed immense relief that the card proceeded smoothly, pulling back the curtain on the severe infrastructural paralysis currently plaguing Goma.
Following two years of intense conflict between M23 rebels and government forces, Goma has been left operating completely without functional banks or an active airport.
The resulting economic and geographical blockade forced international fighters to fly into neighboring Rwanda, followed by a exhausting three-hour road journey across the border.
“We have to do most of our financial transactions in the Rwandan border town of Gisenyi, or rely heavily on mobile money transfers routed from Kinshasa,” Assumani revealed to boxersworld.co.ke.
The alternative routes remain entirely unviable for domestic boxers. For Kinshasa-based Congolese fighters to reach Goma, they must first fly into Kigali, Rwanda, before boarding road transport to Goma. Relying on internal Congolese infrastructure would require a grueling, week-long boat journey up the Congo River to Kisangani, followed by three days of driving to Beni, and one final day on hazardous roads to reach Goma.
Despite the profound geopolitical hurdles, Assumani and his regional partners proved that East African boxing can still deliver elite-level boxing under the toughest of conditions.
KINSHASA, DR CONGO — The International Boxing Association (IBA) Africa has officially announced that Mali’s capital city, Bamako, will host the 2027 edition of the African Elite Men’s and Women’s Boxing Championships.
November 4th, 2026
This major milestone was confirmed following a productive telephone consultation between IBA Africa Interim President, General Ilunga Luyoyo, and Mali’s Minister of Youth and Sports, Abdoul Kassim.
During the briefing, Minister Kassim guaranteed the full support of the Malian government, confirming that public authorities will collaborate closely with the national boxing federation to stage Africa’s flagship boxing tournament. Both leaders emphasized their shared vision to deliver a world-class sporting experience that matches the prestige of Africa’s absolute pinnacle boxing event.
DR Congo hosted the 2026 Africa Elite Boxing Championships in Kinshasa, which stood out as the most successful continental tournament since the event’s inception in 1962.
The host nation dominated the competition, securing top honors with a record-breaking haul of 17 gold medals, one silver, and six bronze medals. Cameroon followed in second place 3-4-7 tally, while Zambia finished third 3-1-0
Looking ahead, Africa’s flagship boxing event moves to Bamako for the 2027 Africa Elite Championships, offering Malian boxers a prime opportunity to excel on home soil.
Mali’s quest for glory will be spearheaded by middleweight standout Djibril Traore, who secured a bronze medal at the 2025 IBA Men’s World Championships in Dubai, making him one of only three African medallists at that global event.
Although Traore missed this year’s tournament in Kinshasa due to his demanding academic schedule in Paris, the 2024 Africa Elite Championships bronze medallist is poised to lead his nation’s charge at home.
*A continuing legacy of major sporting events in Mali*
Securing the 2027 Africa Elite Championships cements Mali’s growing profile as a capable destination for major continental competitions.
The capital city of Bamako is no stranger to welcoming Africa’s athletic elite, having successfully hosted landmark sporting events that include:
*2002 Africa Cup of* *Nations (AFCON):* The historic 23rd edition of Africa’s biggest football tournament, which brought millions of eyes to newly built stadiums in Bamako, Kayes, Mopti, Ségou, and Sikasso.
*FIBA Women’s AfroBasket (2011 and 2017):* Mali played host to Africa’s premier women’s basketball championship twice, drawing massive local crowds and solidifying the nation’s reputation as a basketball powerhouse on the continent.
*All-Africa Senior* *Badminton* *Championships:* Demonstrating its infrastructure versatility, Bamako has successfully organized top-tier multi-national racquet sport tournaments.
*A new era for African boxing*
The Africa Elite Boxing Championships continue to break barriers across the continent.
Following the record-setting attendance – 171 boxers from 28 countries – seen at the recent edition in Kinshasa, the 2027 tournament in Bamako is set to write the next great chapter for African boxing.
“The commitment from Minister Abdoul Kassim and the Malian government ensures that our boxers will have an outstanding stage to demonstrate their world-class talent,” said IBA Africa Interim President General Ilunga Luyoyo, adding:”Mali has a proud history of hosting major African tournaments, and we are confident that Bamako 2027 will raise the bar even higher for the sport of boxing across the continent.”
Further details regarding the exact dates, competition venues, and participating nations for the 2027 Africa Elite Men’s and Women’s Boxing Championships will be shared by IBA Africa Media in upcoming press statements.
▪️”I’m paving the way for upcoming boxers to concentrate on pro boxing, I’m aiming to become WBC champion,” says Kabeji
November 3, 2026
KINSHASA — The Democratic Republic of Congo’s Peter Pita Kabeji—the first boxer in history to win four consecutive gold medals at the Africa Elite Boxing Championships—has officially retired from amateur boxing to turn professional.
The 26-year-old Kabeji has signed with domestic outfit Luyoyo Promotions and will compete in the professional light-heavyweight division.
Kabeji permanently etched his name into the record books on October 31, 2026, at the Stade des Martyrs in Kinshasa.
Moving up to the heavyweight division for the tournament, the Congolese captain defeated Uganda’s Ebony Emmy Abel via a dominant second-round stoppage to secure his fourth consecutive continental crown.
“It is a true pleasure for me to become the first boxer to win four consecutive titles,” Kabeji told boxersworld.co.ke in an exclusive interview.
Reflecting on the historic tournament, which featured a record-breaking 171 boxers from 28 nations, Kabeji singled out Cameroon’s towering, Russia-based Tobie Ongolo Luis as his toughest opponent. Kabeji narrowly outpointed Ongolo in a grueling semifinal clash before capturing gold in the final.
“I have moved to pro boxing and will be fighting under Luyoyo Promotions in the light-heavyweight class, I aim to win WBC world title,” Kabeji explained, noting that the transition was fueled by a desire for greater competitive tests.
“I want the challenges of the bare-chested game, but I also want to pave the way for upcoming boxers to step up and represent the national team.”
As DR Congo’s most decorated amateur boxer of the modern era, Kabeji’s historic run spanned three different weight classes over four years:
• 2022 (Maputo): Won his first Africa light-heavyweight gold by outpointing Morocco’s Mohamed Assaghir.
• 2023 (Yaoundé): Defended his light-heavyweight crown against Congo Brazzaville’s Ngamissengue Mpi Anauel.
• 2024 (Kinshasa): Stepped up to cruiserweight to defeat Morocco’s Ahmed Badrani.
• 2026 (Kinshasa): Moved up to heavyweight, stopping Uganda’s Ebony Emmy Abel in the second round.
When asked about the phenomenal rise of Congolese boxing—which saw the host nation capture an unprecedented 17 gold medals at the 2026 championships—Kabeji credited a mixture of discipline and institutional backing.
“We work hard, and we are disciplined. We also have an excellent technical bench that truly understands the sport,” Kabeji said.
“Our federation president, General Ilunga Luyoyo, has contributed immensely to the developing of Congolese boxing inspiring boxers. Thanks to his efforts, government support, and the relentless hard work of our coaches, we have come this far.”
The historic milestone marks the end of a long amateur journey that began at home in Lubumbashi where he started boxing in 2010 at Club Gorille de Lubumbashi under coach Marcel Tshizubu.
“My first international competition was in Algeria at the 2018 African Youth Games,” Kabeji recalled. “I won the gold medal there after winning both of my fights.”
That early success in Algeria set the baseline for an illustrious career. He graduated to the senior national team for the 2019 African Games in Rabat, Morocco, where he punched his way to the finals and returned home with a hard-fought silver medal—the definitive launching pad for a legacy forged in gold.
Clockwise: I'm psyched up for jab jab in the stadium that hosted the 1974 Rumble in the Jungle, my buddy Akim and pub owner Janet, Papa Wemba statues, Tata Raphael statue, one of the popular joints in Matonge known as Makola Muana Kin, Tata Raphael Stadium where Ali KO'd Foreman in 1974, mouth-watering fish from Congo River and makemba
▪️The most distinctive features at Matonge is the famous stadium which hosted the Muhammad Ali vs George Foreman Rumble in the Jungle blockbuster in 1974 and a statue of renowned Congolese musician Papa Wemba
November 3, 2026
If Kinshasa is the beating heart of the Democratic Republic of the Congo, then Matonge is its soul. Situated in the Kalamu municipality, this legendary neighborhood is often described as the true capital within the capital. It is a place where the streets never sleep, and the boundary between life and music completely dissolves.
Step into Matonge on any given weekend, and your senses are immediately flooded. It is a beautiful, unapologetic sensory overload. The neighborhood is famous for hosting the busiest, liveliest, and loudest public pubs in the city. Here, the clinking of cold drinks mixes with the roar of laughter and the aroma of street food. But above all, there is the music.
A visit to Kinshasa without sampling night life at Matonge is incomplete.
So, on Sunday after a hectic schedule in the Africa Elite Boxing Championships, I decided to sample Matonge’s light life accompanied by my buddy Katshi Tshitebwa, also known as Akim by friends and relatives.
Akim is also playing the role of my guide because he’s fluent in English and the local language lingala.
We order food, and he explains further: “This is braai fish called “Thomson”, plus fried banana known “makemba” and salads as compliments.
“Among the favourite food for the Congolese is pap accompanied by beans, cassava leaves,” he tells me as we seep popular beer in DR Congo Primus and Tembo waiting for our braai fish and makemba.
We have settled at Depot Terrasse pub owned by smart business lady, Janet Kankolongo, whose eatery is next to her pub where we ordered our food.
She’s such a warm lady, makes us comfortable as I converse with her in the limited lingala I know then I’m lost. We stop there amid a hearty laughter.
I ask Janet about business in Matonge.
“I’ve been having this pub in Matonge, precisely in 57th avenue du Stade for
10 years now,” she says.
“It used to be a very profitable business back in time but things are not okay especially after the Covid pandemic. Then the government decided to demolish the roofs of our open pubs, and now it’s more difficult to have many people in when it rains, or when it’s hot.
“We would like the government to let us work freely, build back our tents to beautify our business premises.”
All of a sudden I see Janet engaged in a heated exchange of words with one her customers. Since the verbal jabs are in lingala I later ask her what was the problem.
“This man is a regular attendant here, I’m mad with him because he has not repaid a soft loan I gave him,” Janet tells me.
“Now he wants beer on credit yet he has not paid back my money!,” an angry Janet responds as I cool her down.
Meanwhile, our chit chat on Matonge with Akim is getting more interesting.
“Matonge has many popular joints for tourists to enjoy themselves,” Akim says.
“There’s Terrasse Chez Jeannet, Staff Bana Kin, Chez Matou, the placemats is unique for its vibe by night is unmatched,” says Akim, introducing his cute wife Magalie Bangu and baby girl Candice Tshitebwa who have just joined us, wondering how come he’s so fluent in English than most of his countrymen.
“I did all my studies in Kinshasa, and my degree in HRM in Cape Town, in the Cape Peninsula University of Technology (CPUT),” Akim tells me. His exposure in South Africa was a valuable experience.
The vibrancy at Matonge is breathtaking. I’m hooked already because they play my favourite lingala music. I feel at home and sing along with some of them the popular remix Kitamata by icon Fally Ipupa originally done by the late celebrated singer of TP OK Jazz Josky Kiambukuta. Music is the lifeline of most Congolese. Little wonder I spot one of enjoying lingala songs from his portable system he has carried to the pub.
Tata Raphael Stadium, venue of the 1974 Rumble in the Jungle world heavyweight title fight between Muhammad Ali vs George Foreman
In the opposit joint near ours, young girls cannot control their urge to gyrate their hips to Koffie Olomide’s Papa Mobimba. As I enjoy their eye-catching dancing styles they smile and I do the same to encourage them. The Congolese are damn good dancers. To them dancing is a way of life. Encouragingly, they listen to no other music other than their own songs by their celebrated
musicians.
I find myself on my feet shaking a leg too. It seems Kitamata and Primus are taking their toll on me. Then Akim tells me about the controversy ignited by Ipupa’s remix of the song.
“Fally did the song without the blessing of Josky’s family, generating the controversy between him and Josky’s family,” Akim explains
“People love Fally’s remix more than the original song by Josky. A few months after it was released, Fally had to delete it from all his music platforms due to a misunderstanding with the late Josky’s family but I’m told the issue has now been sorted out amicably, a testament to the love the Congolese have for each other.”
Matonge is globally recognized as the soul of music in Kinshasa. As the weekend rolls in, the neighborhood transforms into a massive open-air amphitheater. Live bands set up on almost every corner, tuning their guitars and testing their microphones. Within hours, the infectious rhythms of Congolese Rumba and Soukous echo through the night, drawing residents and visitors alike into an unstoppable dance.
“At times we’re spoilt for choice which band we go dance their songs because our musicians are so good, we’re proud of them,” says Akim.
*Papa Wemba statue and Rumble in the Jungle boxing venue significant features*
You cannot truly understand Matonge without understanding its royalty. Standing proudly as a guardian of this musical empire is the statue of Papa Wemba. The legendary musician, fashion icon, and pioneer of Viva La Musica is immortalized here, reminding everyone of his eternal reign. Papa Wemba was affectionately known as the King of Molokai Village—a title that is deeply woven into the very geography of Matonge.
In fact, MOLOKAI is a clever acronym representing the core avenues that define the neighborhood:
M for Avenue Masimanimba, O for Avenue Oshwe, L for Avenue Lokolama, K for Avenue Kanda-Kanda and I for Avenue Inzia
These streets form the cultural matrix where modern Congolese subcultures, fashion movements like La Sape, and musical revolutions were born and bred.
Matonge’s legendary status is further cemented by its proximity to a monument of global sports history: the iconic Stade Tata Raphaël. Just a stone’s throw away, this stadium hosted the greatest boxing match of the 20th century—the legendary 1974 Rumble in the Jungle between Muhammad Ali and George Foreman. The echoes of that historic fight still seem to linger in the air, adding to the neighborhood’s undeniable aura of greatness.
I revisit the stadium – formerly known as May 20 Stadium – having been there the last time I was in Kinshasa in 2024. As you enter inside the stadium, outside stands the statue of Tata Raphael (1890-1956) who was a Belgian missionary priest and a pioneer of education, scouting, and modern sports in Kinshasa (then Léopoldville).
Matonge is more than just a geographic location on a map of Kinshasa. It is an experience, a lifestyle, and a living museum of African culture. From the historic dust of Stade Tata Raphaël to the dazzling lights of its modern nightlife, it remains a place where history is revered, and the music never stops playing.
