Kinshasa - Post Report Question and Answers
What kind of vehicle(s) including electric ones do you recommend bringing to post, given the terrain, infrastructure, availability of parts, burglary/carjacking risks, etc.? What kind of car or vehicles do you advise not to bring?
Gas powered SUV with clearance, Rav 4 style at the smallest, but best would be a fully armored tank! Very few roads are good enough for cars, most are very bad with holes that can swallow a vehicle. I witnessed a motorcycle and both people on it completely disappear during a rainstorm because it fell into the drainage system. Also make sure if you do bring a vehicle over that you don't care if it gets damaged. I would say that 80% of mission personnel get into an accident of some sort while here. There are plenty of mechanics available, but they specialize in "Frankenstein" fixes and don't use proper parts. Most bring extra tires, fuel filters, general maintenance stuff. Something to watch for is if you do take your vehicle to a local mechanic that they will replace good parts on your vehicle with bad ones to sell on the market. When driving, always make sure your vehicle is locked. Snatch and grabs are common and the locals, especially the kids, will test your doors at intersections or jams, and if unlocked they will take anything not bolted down. Get mirror tabs installed on your side mirrors. They are very good at ripping off your mirrors in less than a second. If you are mission personnel and get into an accident report it to Post 1 right away and DO NOT get out of your vehicle. RSO has a good response unit and will send help. - May 2024
