** Title: Kinshasa: Between price disillusionment and трансtent ineffective – when the future of passengers is combined with the future uncertain **
The city-professional city of Kinshasa, vibrating the heart of the Democratic Republic of Congo, is today the scene of an acute crisis in the public transport sector. Although the tariff grid established by the Town Hall has been praised as a step towards the regulation of the sector, the realities of the street bear a completely different story. The recent events highlight not only the economic challenges faced by users, but also the issues of governance and infrastructure, which represent a chasm between political promises and daily reality.
** An ignored price grid: an affront to authority **
In January 2025, Governor Daniel Bumba managed to establish a pricing grid in favor of users, aimed at bringing a certain regularity and lightening the economic burden weighing on the Kinois. However, this system collapses in the face of a phenomenon of resistance on the part of public transport drivers, who revolt against this regulation, by applying prices higher than those fixed by the municipality.
This showdown between drivers and authorities is not a simple disagreement on figures. He underlines a deeper and alarming fracture between the commitment of the leaders and the realities of the field. The testimonies, like that of Merdie Bamu, highlight a blatant inconsistency: who must guarantee respect for these measures and protect citizens against the arbitrariness of the drivers?
** Monday green: the importance of a creative dialogue **
The current situation invites us to reflect on the role of the dialogue between the Town Hall of Kinshasa and the actors of transport. Trésor Tambi, mini-bus driver, rightly evokes a lack of communication. This observation opens an essential debate: how to establish a constructive partnership between the authorities and the transport professionals?
Based on international examples, we could consider innovative solutions. In Nairobi, for example, collaboration between the government and private operators made it possible to introduce mobile applications for transport, thus offering transparency, prices monitoring and improving customer experience. The implementation of a system similar to Kinshasa could not only restore a relationship of trust but also contribute to the formalization of the sector, often marked by informality.
** Roads: an infrastructure to be rebuilt urgently **
If tariff disorders are an immediate problem for Kinois, the lamentable state of roads and their impact on public transport cannot be neglected. The testimonies of the drivers show another aspect of this crisis: when the infrastructure is absent or damaged, delays accumulate, the quality of service collapses, and this encourages drivers to increase their price to compensate for lost time, arguing The need for profitability in a chaotic working environment.
Taking the Treasury Tambi’s statements into account, we might ask ourselves: what investment does the government devote to the rehabilitation of transport infrastructure, particularly in the capital? World Bank statistics show that an improvement in transport infrastructure leads directly to an increase in productivity and economic growth. Thus, Kinshasa could benefit from a real investment strategy to modernize its roads, which would increase not only the effectiveness of public transport, but also the general health of the urban economy.
** The challenge of urban transit in the face of population growth **
Finally, the question of mobility in Kinshasa should not be limited to simple pricing conflicts. With a population exceeding 12 million inhabitants, the city faces unprecedented urbanization challenges. The trend of rapid urbanization requires strategic mobility planning. Does the current economic model of public transport have the capacity to meet this growing demand or are we witnessing a dangerous stagnation?
The urban planning expert, Dr. Pierre Makulu, pleads for an integrated approach which includes the creation of cycle paths, the extension of public transport networks and new mobility solutions such as cable transport, which could prove to be An effective alternative to road congestion.
** Conclusion: Call for collective action **
Faced with this situation, the future of transport in Kinshasa should not be left to chance. A collective action, involving local authorities, transport companies and the general public, is essential to build a network of sustainable, fair and efficient mobility. The implementation of functional dialogues to compensate for pricing injustices and an urgent reassessment of infrastructure are not options, but urgent necessities.
It is therefore crucial that the Kinois, like Merdie Bamu, no longer remain spectators of their own reality. Together, they must be heard and demand concrete measures that are up to their issues and expectations. Kinshasa deserves a daring vision for public transport that lives up to its ambitions. Only a concerted and enlightened action can give this metropolis its true potential.