River navigation: Tshopo asks Tshisekedi to suspend ban on wooden boats

In a letter dated November 6, 2026, Tshopo Provincial Assembly president Mateus Kanga Londimo asked Félix Tshisekedi to suspend the ban on wooden boats scheduled to take effect on November 15. The assembly supports navigation-safety measures and the ban on carrying passengers, but calls for at least a one-year transition before freight transport is halted. It says the province relies on the river to receive food, medicine and other essentials, and has very few metal boats available as replacements. Lawmakers warn that stopping river traffic could isolate parts of the province, cause shortages and drive up prices.