Back in 1974 Kinshasa, the capital of what is now the Democratic Republic of Congo, hosted a lavish(奢华的，盛大的) boxing match known as the “Rumble in the Jungle(1974年金沙萨“丛林之战”拳赛)”. Today the city is gripped by(被……笼罩/攫住) a different heavyweight clash(重量级对决). In one corner is Félix Tshisekedi, the president. In the other is Joseph Kabila (pictured), an ex-president, who on October 12th stunned(使震惊) the country by announcing that he would lead a rebel coalition(联盟，联合体) against his successor “by all means(用一切手段), including the use of force”.
1974年，当时的金沙萨——也就是今天的刚果民主共和国首都——曾举办过一场奢华的拳击赛，史称“丛林之战”。如今，这座城市又被另一场重量级对决所笼罩。擂台一角是现任总统费利克斯·齐塞克迪，另一角是前总统约瑟夫·卡比拉（见图）。10月12日，卡比拉宣布将领导一个反叛联盟，以“包括使用武力在内的一切手段”对抗他的继任者，举国震惊。
Mr Kabila’s move threatens to worsen the conflict in the war-riven(饱受战乱的) east. It also complicates Mr Tshisekedi’s bid(努力，企图) to change the constitution to stay in power(继续掌权) past the end of his second term in 2028. If either man can land a knockout blow(发出致命一击) it will shape the future of Africa’s second-largest country—of great interest to America, given its quest(追求，探寻) for critical minerals(关键矿产（战略资源）).
卡比拉此举可能加剧饱受战乱的东部地区的冲突，也让齐塞克迪试图修改宪法、在2028年第二任期结束后继续掌权的努力变得更加复杂。无论哪一方能发出致命一击，都将塑造这个非洲第二大国的未来——鉴于美国对关键矿产的渴求，此事对美国利益攸关。
The feud(长期恩怨，世仇) has a long history. The latest chapter began in 2019, when Mr Tshisekedi was declared the winner of an election with more rigging than a giant sailboat.(最新一章始于2019年：齐塞克迪被宣布赢得大选，而这场选举的舞弊程度堪比一艘巨型帆船的索具。) In the aftermath he struck a power-sharing(权力分享) deal with Mr Kabila that recognised the former president’s majority in parliament. That pact was torn up(被撕毁) acrimoniously(充满敌意地，尖刻地) in 2020. Kabila loyalists were purged(被清洗，被清除) and Mr Kabila ultimately went into self-imposed exile(自我流亡), where he complained privately to other African leaders about what he saw as a power grab(夺权，权力攫取) by an illegitimate(非法的，不合法的) successor.
两人的恩怨由来已久。最新一章始于2019年：齐塞克迪被宣布赢得大选，而这场选举的舞弊程度堪比一艘巨型帆船的索具。事后，他与卡比拉达成权力分享协议，承认这位前总统在议会中的多数地位。2020年，该协议被充满敌意地撕毁。卡比拉的效忠者遭到清洗，他本人最终自我流亡，私下向其他非洲领导人抱怨，认为自己眼中的非法继任者篡夺了权力。