Public transport vehicles in Kinshasa did not operate on Jan. 26, 2026, following new measures announced by local authorities, Bankable reported. The disruption forced many workers, civil servants, teachers and students to walk long distances across the capital.

In a statement issued on Jan. 19, Kinshasa governor Daniel Bumba announced the launch of a traffic enforcement operation, with more than 3,000 officers from the national police and specialized provincial services deployed across the city. Authorities said the operation aims to curb traffic congestion, road indiscipline and accidents, which they say undermine productivity, quality of life and public safety.

Checks focus on driver’s licences, vehicle inspections, road tax stickers, transport permits and insurance for public transport vehicles. Authorities also stressed that operators must comply with official fare rates. Violators face fines, vehicle immobilisation or impoundment.

Additional restrictions apply to trucks and delivery vehicles. Trucks weighing 20 tonnes or more, as well as delivery vehicles, are only allowed to operate between 10 p.m. and 5 a.m. on Mondays, Tuesdays and Wednesdays. On other days, entry into the city remains restricted to the same time window. Once inside Kinshasa, these vehicles may circulate, make deliveries and exit without time limits, provided they comply with traffic regulations.

The measure partially revises a decision taken by the Ministry of Economy in June 2025, following a three-week strike by truck drivers over traffic restrictions. At the time, the ministry had authorised all trucks, regardless of load or configuration, to circulate, deliver and exit freely within Kinshasa as long as they respected traffic rules, while entry into the capital remained limited to between 10 p.m. and 5 a.m.

Timothée Manoke