Is Mbuji-Mayi safe to visit right now? (September 2026)

Travel advisories for Democratic Republic of the Congo

What the advice says

• The US State Department maintains a Level 4 - Do Not Travel advisory for the Democratic Republic of the Congo; this is a country-level rating, not specific to Mbuji-Mayi.
• UK FCDO guidance describes a high threat of terrorism nationwide, though attacks are concentrated in North Kivu and Ituri provinces in the east, well away from Mbuji-Mayi.
• Protests and demonstrations, sometimes violent and involving gunfire, have occurred in Kinshasa and Goma with little advance notice; the advice is to stay away from planned protest sites and leave quickly if one develops.
• Street robbery is a reported risk in urban centers such as Kinshasa and Lubumbashi, often near hotels and supermarkets, sometimes involving gangs that use children or pose as police officers.
• Kidnapping, including so-called express kidnaps where victims are taken to an ATM, has been reported in parts of Kinshasa, and foreign nationals can be perceived as wealthier and targeted more often.
• General precautions include avoiding walking alone after dark, not displaying cash or valuables in public, using transport arranged through a hotel or operator rather than hailing a taxi on the street, and keeping copies of travel documents separate from the originals.