The Democratic Republic of Congo has had a turbulent past since independence from Belgium in 1960. In 2005, with much help from the international community, the country held its first free elections held in over four decades.
In 2011, the end of President Joseph Kabila's mandate from those election, nearly 19 million of 32 million registered voters cast their ballots in elections organised solely by the state. Eleven candidates were vying for the presidency, and over 18,000 candidates presented themselves for the 500 parliamentary seats in the national assembly.
Marred by claims of fraud from opposition candidates, and "irregularities" by international observers, incumbent President Kabila was named winner of the presidential elections, securing his second mandate.
The following images were taken in Lubumbashi, the country's second city and capital of the mineral-rich Katanga province.
