Kinshasa urban train derails shortly after service resumption

The Kinshasa urban train, which recently resumed service after a fifteen-year hiatus, experienced a derailment on Wednesday evening in the Masina district. The locomotive moved approximately one meter off the tracks in the Pelende neighborhood. No deaths or injuries were reported following the incident.

According to ONATRA, the derailment was caused by the tracks being obstructed by sand and refuse. Officials noted that illegal sand dumping by trucks and waste disposal by local residents have contributed to the poor condition of the infrastructure. While service was temporarily suspended, train officials have expressed intentions to resume traffic shortly.

The rail line serves as a critical alternative to the heavy traffic congestion in the Congolese capital, which is home to nearly 17 million people. The service is part of the broader MetroKin project, a 300-kilometer network supported by the Africa Finance Corporation, aimed at improving mass transit in the region.