The provincial government of Kinshasa has issued a directive imposing new restrictions on motorized two-wheelers in the capital, local media reported.

The directive bans motorcycle taxis from operating or parking in the Gombe district, the city’s administrative and financial center. Only brief drop-offs and pick-ups are allowed on designated roads around the district, within clearly defined limits.

The notice says private motorcycles and those used for deliveries are still permitted, provided they are registered with the urban transport division and properly marked.

Three-wheelers carrying people or goods are now banned from several major roads, including Lumumba, Sendwe, 30 Juin and Triomphal boulevards, as well as Avenue des Poids Lourds, in an effort to reduce accidents and congestion.

The measures follow instructions issued on Sept. 19 during the Council of Ministers’ 59th meeting. President Felix Tshisekedi had called for stricter regulation of motorcycle taxis, including mandatory helmet use, registering all vehicles to improve traceability, and restricting their activity to outlying areas while banning them from the city center.

In February 2024, the Congolese National Police (PNC) also banned motorcycles from entering Gombe, but the measure is often ignored. At the Socimat intersection in the middle of the district, motorcycle taxis continue to operate openly.

Amid chronic traffic jams, unreliable public transport, poor roads and limited signage or enforcement, many Kinshasa residents rely on motorcycle taxis for their flexibility. A March 2025 study by Congolese firm Target SARL found that 71% of users now say motorcycle taxis are their main mode of transport, up from 67% in 2023.

Boaz Kabeya