The Congolese government faces a growing crisis of legitimacy. Mr Kabila’s second, and supposedly final, term as president finished in December 2016 and yet he remains in office. Protests since then have led to hundreds of deaths at the hands of police; new armed rebellions have broken out both in the east and south-west of the country. Squeezing miners may be Mr Kabila’s only chance of raising the funds he desperately needs to stay in power.