fɹˈɛntʃ hˈæzbiːn meɪntˈeɪnd æz ðɪ əfˈɪʃəl lˈæŋɡwɪdʒ sˈɪns ðə tˈaɪm ʌv ˌɪndᵻpˈɛndəns bɪkˈʌz ɪɾ ɪz wˈaɪdli spˈoʊkən ɪnðə kˈæpɪɾəl ʌvðə kˈʌntɹikɪnʃˈɑːsə,  ɪt bᵻlˈɔŋz tə nˈʌn ʌvðɪ ɪndˈɪdʒənəs ˈɛθnɪk ɡɹˈuːps ænd ˈiːzᵻz kəmjˌuːnɪkˈeɪʃən bᵻtwˌiːn ðˌɛm æz wˈɛl æz wɪððə ɹˈɛst ʌvðə fɹˈæŋkəfˌoʊni, wˌɪtʃ ɪŋklˈuːdz mˈɛni ˈæfɹɪkən kˈʌntɹiz.
French has been maintained as the official language since the time of independence because it is widely spoken in the capital of the country-Kinshasa,  it belongs to none of the indigenous ethnic groups and eases communication between them as well as with the rest of the Francophonie, which includes many African countries.