Mbuji-Mayi

Mbuji-Mayi is the capital of Kasaï-Oriental Province in the south-central Democratic Republic of the Congo. Formerly known as Bakwanga, the city sits on one of the world's largest diamond deposits and is often called the country's diamond capital. Its name comes from Tshiluba and refers to the goats once common around the Mbuji-Mayi River.

The city grew as a planned mining settlement run by the Société Minière de Bakwanga (MIBA). After independence in 1960, Bakwanga briefly served as capital of the secessionist Mining State of South Kasai before being renamed Mbuji-Mayi. That mining legacy still shapes the city, from its economy to the layout of its five communes: Bipemba, Dibindi, Diulu, Kanshi and Muya.

Much of commercial life centres on Avenue Inga, where diamond buyers, traders and small businesses operate. Visitors can see the MIBA headquarters, learn about Luba cultural heritage, visit markets and churches such as the Notre-Dame cathedral, and explore the diamond-mining landscape on the city's outskirts with a local guide.

As the traditional centre of industrial diamond production in the Congo, Mbuji-Mayi matters to both the national economy and international buyers, and its university institutions make it an educational hub for the Kasai region. The city remains comparatively remote, with air travel through Mbuji Mayi Airport the most practical link to Kinshasa, Lubumbashi and other cities.

For travellers, Mbuji-Mayi offers a rare look at a working diamond town and Luba culture rather than a conventional tourism circuit. It suits researchers, business visitors and determined independent travellers who plan logistics carefully and use local guides.