Traffic on the strategic corridor linking Kinshasa to the port of Matadi has been heavily disrupted for several days, prompting Prime Minister Judith Suminwa Tuluka to chair an emergency meeting on May 19 with national and provincial authorities and transport stakeholders.

Officials agreed on several measures to reduce congestion caused by roadworks along part of the route. Immediate steps include building bypass roads in the worst-affected areas, deploying more police near construction sites, and reviewing ways to speed up traffic through toll booths.

The measures focus on the Kasangulu area and the Cité Verte triangle, where ongoing works have significantly slowed heavy trucks and passenger vehicles.

Authorities said they hoped the measures would ease disruptions along the corridor linking Kinshasa to Kongo Central. Traffic jams have delayed deliveries and caused losses for traders and transporters, particularly those carrying perishable goods to markets in the capital.

Officials also discussed funding and logistical needs to speed up the works. The Congo Toll Company (Sopeco), the Federation of Enterprises of the Congo (FEC), and representatives from the Kinshasa and Kongo Central provincial governments took part in the meeting.

The government also urged drivers to comply with temporary traffic measures during the works on what it described as one of the country’s most important trade corridors.

Boaz Kabeya