Harare — Concerns over the security of athletes competing in the upcoming international "Jeux de la Francophonie" or Francophone Games, have prompted the Democratic Republic of Congo to boost security in the nation's capital, Kinshasa, Al Jazeera reports.

According to the coordinator of the games, Isidore Kwanja, 4,500 more police, supported by state security agents, have been deployed in advance of the event. Police will personally accompany athletes, and their accommodations will be equipped with security cameras.

The 10-day Francophone Games, which had previously been postponed from 2021 to 2022 to improve facilities, have now suffered a setback due to a lack of security in the city.  For the July 28 start date, authorities have rushed to complete tracks, sporting arenas, and lodgings.

In Kinshasa, where minor crimes, muggings, and kidnappings for ransom are fairly regular, some participants have also expressed concerns about safety.

The assassination of Cherubin Okende, who was the spokesperson for one of the biggest opposition parties in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) this month, increased concerns about the government's ability to protect the games. Okende, a former transport minister and parliamentarian belonged to Moise Katumbi's party, a prominent opposition figure who plans to run for president in in the December 20, 2023 general elections.

However, Kinshasa is generally safer than the unstable, mineral-rich east of the country, where numerous armed groups have been operating for decades and have driven millions of people from their homes.