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🇨🇩 DR Congo /Crime & Justice

Kinshasa motorcycle-taxi drivers denounce police harassment at Sakombi

From Radio Okapi · () French

Translated from French and summarized by DistantNews. Read the original for the full story.

At a glance

News Named sources Ongoing story
  • Motorcycle-taxi drivers at the Sakombi stop in Kinshasa say repeated police checks have led to unjustified payments, arrests and searches.
  • The drivers say the controls are causing financial losses and want authorities to regulate them more closely.
  • Radio Okapi had not received a response from police officials when the report was published.

Motorcycle-taxi drivers at the Sakombi stop in Kinshasa’s Ngaliema district say police road checks have become a daily burden. They accuse officers of harassment and of collecting payments they consider illegal.

The drivers gathered on Thursday, September 3, to call for government intervention. They said repeated payments during checks were draining their earnings and described arrests as arbitrary. They also reported searches during police patrols at night.

Éléphant Nzevu, president of the Sakombi motorcycle-taxi association, appealed directly to the head of state. “I am addressing the head of state so that he takes responsibility for the situation of motorcycle-taxi drivers. Money is disappearing for no reason. Those collecting the taxes put them in their pockets even though we pay them,” he said.

The drivers want tighter oversight of road checks and action against payments they believe lack a legal basis. They also called for better working conditions for operators who comply with regulations. Police officials had not yet responded when the report was published.

I am addressing the head of state so that he takes responsibility for the situation of motorcycle-taxi drivers. Money is disappearing for no reason. Those collecting the taxes put them in their pockets even though we pay them.

· Éléphant NzevuThe president of the Sakombi motorcycle-taxi association called for government action against alleged illegal payments.
About this summary

Originally published by Radio Okapi in French. Translated, summarized, and contextualized automatically by DistantNews, with a note on how the source frames the story. Not individually reviewed before publishing. How this works.

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