In Kinshasa, the dry season of 2025 has been marked by a visible rollout of road construction projects across several neighborhoods. Newly paved parallel roads, new traffic routes opened, and various development works show that the capital is transforming. The effort to improve traffic flow, reduce congestion, and better prepare for the back-to-school period deserves recognition.
Under the leadership of the Governor and the technical department, the provincial authorities have taken advantage of this period to accelerate progress. Some projects are advancing, others have been completed, and new ones are beginning. This momentum is worth acknowledging.
However, three technical points require particular attention to ensure the durability and efficiency of these works.
- Gutter cleaning: an incomplete job
While gutter cleaning has been undertaken in several areas, the method remains problematic: the waste removed from the drains is simply left on the roadside. As a result, at the first rainfall, this debris flows back into the drains, nullifying the work done. Effective cleaning must be accompanied by immediate removal to a treatment site; otherwise, it is merely double work with no lasting effect.- Drains without an outlet
Another observation is that some new drainage channels are not connected upstream or downstream to existing networks and have no outlet to rivers or the Congo River. Without hydraulic interconnection, these structures lose their purpose and can even worsen local flooding. An integrated drainage planning approach is essential.
- Cleanliness of new roads
Finally, several newly completed roads are already lined with waste. This undermines both the visual appeal and hygiene of the roadways. A regular sweeping and waste collection program is necessary to preserve the quality and functionality of these improvements.
Kinshasa is on the right track toward road modernization. But to maximize the impact of these investments, maintenance, coherent drainage networks, and daily upkeep must accompany construction. Only then can the capital combine progress with long-term sustainability.
