Yoka, Tengu2024-03-042021-01-272024-03-042020-10https://repo.pacuniversity.ac.ke/handle/123456789/3082.2The National Parliament is the backbone of every nation and the foundation upon which good governance, a prerequisite for sustainable development, is built. It is only when the institution is strong, empowered, respected, and functional that it is going to work effectively. The Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) is a wealthy nation, with vast natural resources that include cobalt, copper, diamonds, gold, arable land, and forests, among others. Yet, the country is regarded among the poorest nations in the world. Bad leadership practices and poor governance in the DRC have resulted in low levels of development. The National Parliament has failed to effectively play its role. This case study sought to examine how the National Parliament can be empowered to promote good governance practices for the sustainable development of the Democratic Republic of Congo. The study had five objectives: (1) to identify relevant dimensions of institutional empowerment of parliament in the Democratic Republic of Congo; (2) to establish stakeholder views on the state of the elements of empowerment in the Democratic Republic of Congo; (3) to identify leadership practices considered to have affected institutional empowerment/governance of parliament in the Democratic Republic of Congo; (5) to establish stakeholder views on the level of development in the Democratic Republic of Congo; and (5) to make recommendations based on the findings of the study. Data was collected using 40 one-on-one in-depth interviews, four focus group discussions, and observations. The findings show a powerless, manipulated National Parliament, lacking respect and the autonomy to work independently. Recommendations are given to strengthen the institution to ensure it promotes good governance practices that are vital for sustainable development.enEMPOWERING PUBLIC INSTITUTIONSPROMOTE GOOD GOVERNANCESUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT:Thesis