Kinshasa is preparing to launch construction of a major eight-lane boulevard designed to improve traffic flow, strengthen connections between neighbourhoods and give the Congolese capital a new generation of urban infrastructure.
The future Boulevard Étienne Tshisekedi will extend for 2,074 metres, linking Boulevard Triomphal to Place Bakayau in the commune of Bandalungwa.
According to the Kinshasa provincial government, the new road will have four traffic lanes in each direction. It will also include a bridge over the Basoko River, a 1,140-metre drainage canal, paved sidewalks, designated bus stops, modern public lighting and complete road signage.
The provincial announcement places the project at the imminent-launch stage. It forms part of Kinshasa Ezo Bonga, the urban-transformation programme led by Governor Daniel Bumba Lubaki in support of President Félix-Antoine Tshisekedi Tshilombo’s national vision for modern infrastructure and improved living conditions.
For Kinshasa residents, the project brings together several everyday priorities in one development: faster movement, safer roads, better pedestrian facilities, more organised public transport and stronger rainwater management.
Project at a Glance
A Strategic Extension of Boulevard Triomphal
The location gives the project particular importance for mobility in the Funa district and western Kinshasa.
By extending Boulevard Triomphal toward Place Bakayau, the new road is expected to create an additional high-capacity route for motorists, public-transport vehicles and residents travelling between central Kinshasa and Bandalungwa.
The eight-lane configuration is designed for the scale of a fast-growing African capital. Four lanes in each direction will provide greater traffic capacity and give road users more room to move through a corridor that serves densely populated communities and important public institutions.
INFRASTRUCTURE
Kinshasa Prepares Eight-Lane Boulevard Étienne Tshisekedi
Aug 6, 2026
Aug 18, 2026
9 min read
Published
Updated:
Kinshasa is preparing to launch construction of a major eight-lane boulevard designed to improve traffic flow, strengthen connections between neighbourhoods and give the Congolese capital a new generation of urban infrastructure.
The future Boulevard Étienne Tshisekedi will extend for 2,074 metres, linking Boulevard Triomphal to Place Bakayau in the commune of Bandalungwa.
According to the Kinshasa provincial government, the new road will have four traffic lanes in each direction. It will also include a bridge over the Basoko River, a 1,140-metre drainage canal, paved sidewalks, designated bus stops, modern public lighting and complete road signage.
The provincial announcement places the project at the imminent-launch stage. It forms part of Kinshasa Ezo Bonga, the urban-transformation programme led by Governor Daniel Bumba Lubaki in support of President Félix-Antoine Tshisekedi Tshilombo’s national vision for modern infrastructure and improved living conditions.
For Kinshasa residents, the project brings together several everyday priorities in one development: faster movement, safer roads, better pedestrian facilities, more organised public transport and stronger rainwater management.
Project at a Glance
Component | Planned specification |
Total length | 2,074 metres |
Traffic capacity | Eight lanes: four in each direction |
Route | Boulevard Triomphal to Place Bakayau, Bandalungwa |
Bridge | Bridge structure over the Basoko River |
Drainage | 1,140-metre canal |
Public transport | Purpose-built bus stops |
Pedestrian facilities | Paved sidewalks |
Safety and visibility | Modern lighting and full road signage |
Additional connection | Access road toward the Ministry of Defence |
A Strategic Extension of Boulevard Triomphal
The location gives the project particular importance for mobility in the Funa district and western Kinshasa.
By extending Boulevard Triomphal toward Place Bakayau, the new road is expected to create an additional high-capacity route for motorists, public-transport vehicles and residents travelling between central Kinshasa and Bandalungwa.
The eight-lane configuration is designed for the scale of a fast-growing African capital. Four lanes in each direction will provide greater traffic capacity and give road users more room to move through a corridor that serves densely populated communities and important public institutions.
7sur7 reported that the provincial government sees the boulevard as a strategic instrument for easing traffic in a significant part of the Funa district and improving mobility for road users.
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The project is therefore more than a new stretch of asphalt. It is planned as a structural connection capable of reorganising movement in this part of the city and supporting Kinshasa’s long-term urban growth.
Drainage Built Into the Road Design
One of the project’s most important features is the inclusion of a 1,140-metre drainage canal.
In a city where intense rainfall can quickly affect roads and movement, integrating water management into the boulevard’s design will help direct rainwater away from the carriageway and surrounding spaces.
The bridge planned over the Basoko River will complement this drainage system while maintaining the continuity of the new route.
This combination reflects a broader approach to urban infrastructure: the road, bridge and drainage network are designed as connected components of the same mobility project.
Journal de Kinshasa reported that the boulevard is intended both to improve traffic movement and strengthen rainwater evacuation along the corridor.
A Boulevard Designed for Drivers, Bus Users and Pedestrians
The project also gives attention to people moving through the area without private vehicles.
Paved sidewalks will provide dedicated space for pedestrians, while planned bus stops will create more organised points for passengers to board and leave public transport. Modern lighting is expected to improve visibility after dark, and complete road signage will support safer and more orderly movement.
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Together, these features give Boulevard Étienne Tshisekedi the profile of a complete urban avenue rather than a road focused only on vehicle capacity.
For residents of Bandalungwa and neighbouring communes, the expected benefits include:
a stronger road connection toward central Kinshasa;
improved traffic flow along a busy urban corridor;
more comfortable pedestrian movement;
designated facilities for public-transport passengers;
better visibility through modern public lighting; and
improved rainwater evacuation through the drainage system.
From Technical Studies to the Construction Phase
The boulevard has been moving through a clear project-development sequence.
In July, Provincial Infrastructure Minister Alain Tshilungu announced that the technical studies for the road had been completed.
Preparatory activities at the site, including clearing, installation of a project base and equipment for soil studies, were also reported.
Eco24 identified China Railway 20 Bureau Group Corporation as the company carrying out the preparatory operations. The latest provincial communication now places the main construction launch as the next major milestone.
Technical oversight will be led by Minister Alain Tshilungu, while the Kinshasa provincial government serves as project owner under Governor Daniel Bumba’s leadership.
This progression, from design and site preparation toward full construction, shows how the project is being advanced within the wider Kinshasa Ezo Bonga programme.
Kinshasa Ezo Bonga Takes Another Step Forward
Boulevard Étienne Tshisekedi reflects the government’s ambition to build a capital that is easier to navigate, better connected and prepared for future growth.
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Under Governor Daniel Bumba, Kinshasa Ezo Bonga brings road rehabilitation, sanitation, drainage, public lighting and urban improvement into a shared development agenda. The new boulevard stands out because it combines all these elements in one highly visible project.
OkapiNews described it as one of the flagship infrastructure projects within the programme and linked it to the national vision of President Tshisekedi, which places modern infrastructure at the centre of development.
The project also demonstrates cooperation between national vision and provincial implementation. The Presidency has placed mobility and modern infrastructure among the country’s development priorities, while the provincial government is translating that direction into an urban project shaped around the daily movement of Kinois.
A Road Carrying the Legacy of Étienne Tshisekedi
The name of the future boulevard gives the project a strong national and historical meaning.
Étienne Tshisekedi wa Mulumba was one of the most influential figures in the Democratic Republic of the Congo’s modern political history. Widely known as the “Sphinx of Limete,” he spent decades advocating for democracy, political pluralism and the dignity of the Congolese people.
Naming a major boulevard after him places that legacy within the physical transformation of the capital. The road will connect communities, carry citizens and become part of the everyday life of Kinshasa, a lasting public tribute to a leader whose political journey shaped the nation.
A New Image of Urban Mobility
Once completed, Boulevard Étienne Tshisekedi is expected to become one of the capital’s defining new road corridors.
Its eight traffic lanes will expand mobility capacity. Its bridge and drainage canal will support a more resilient urban design. Its bus stops and sidewalks will serve public-transport users and pedestrians, while its lighting and signage will contribute to safer movement.
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