It is located about 2 km (1.2 miles) north of Nkayi, the country’s fourth largest city.

[3] According to one paper on Tsetse control published in 1986, the population of the town of Kayes was around 1,500 at that time.

Although Kayes and Nkayi are very near each other, they are different areas, separated by the Livouba River, belonging to different municipalities.

Nkayi station of the Congo–Ocean Railway, a narrow gauge railway connecting Brazzaville to Pointe-Noire, is in the southern part of Nkayi, roughly 3 km (2 miles) south of Kayes.

There are several other places in Congo with the same or similar names, such as Madingo-Kayes in Kouilou, Londéla-Kayes in Niari,[5] and Kimpambou-Kayes.