Truckers in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) recently ended a three-week strike following intense negotiations between unions, the central and Kinshasa provincial governments, and the Federation of Enterprises of Congo (FEC). The decision was officially announced on June 13 by the Ministry of National Economy via its X (formerly Twitter) account.

According to the source, truckers have agreed to comply with revised traffic rules issued on June 12 by Economy Minister Daniel Mukoko, on behalf of the Minister of Transport. 

Under the new measures, all trucks, regardless of size or load, may circulate and deliver goods freely within Kinshasa, as long as they respect the national traffic code; truck entry into the city is only permitted between 10 p.m. and 5 a.m.;  and parking on public roads remains strictly prohibited.

The breakthrough paves the way for the resumption of freight deliveries to the capital. According to the Ministry, 1,814 trucks that had been stranded in Lukala, Kongo Central province, are now cleared to proceed to Kinshasa.

Background: Dispute Over Daytime Truck Ban

The strike was sparked by a Kinshasa provincial government ban on daytime movement of trucks over 20 tons, aimed at reducing traffic congestion. Despite a partial relaxation of the measure on June 2, truckers maintained the strike, citing operational challenges and economic losses.

FEC Urged De-escalation

On June 11, the FEC urged transport unions to end the strike, warning of the severe economic toll on the country. The employers’ federation emphasized that a resolution had already been reached in a multi-party meeting chaired by the Deputy Prime Minister for the Economy. FEC also opposed extending the protest to other provinces.

This article was initially published in French by Ronsard Luabeya (intern)

Edited in English by Ola Schad Akinocho