Ban on Wooden Boats: Tshopo Provincial Assembly Appeals to JP Bemba for a Moratorium

Kanga Londimo Mateus, president of the Tshopo Provincial Assembly, asked Transport Minister Jean-Pierre Bemba Gombo for a moratorium of at least 12 months before the planned November 15, 2026 ban on wooden boats takes effect. He said the transition would give operators time to adapt, while keeping in place the ban on carrying passengers aboard these vessels. Mateus warned that immediate enforcement without suitable alternatives could disrupt supplies to Kisangani and several territories, cause food shortages and raise prices for essential goods. Tshopo relies heavily on river transport to move agricultural and livestock products and other necessities.