Traffic has been cut off since Saturday May 4 between the town of Bunia and the Lake Albert plain, including the commercial center of Kasenyi and Tchomia in the territory of Djugu and Irumu in the province of Ituri. This followed the collapse of the Sona bridge, thrown over the river of the same name, on the coast of Lake Albert.
André Kataloho Takumara, head of the South Bahema sector, affirms that the advanced dilapidation of this bridge is the main cause of the collapse of this structure, especially since it has always been submerged by water after the heavy rains which fell in Bunia and in the plain.
“Vehicles that transport goods even from Uganda to Bunia will not reach there. There is now risk of increase in products coming from neighboring Uganda. At present, we have made the report to the military governor of Ituri, if he can dispatch the Mont Gibeon company to rehabilitate this bridge for the benefit of the population because the situation risks degenerating given that we are in a rainy season”, specifies this customary leader.
It should be noted that only motorcyclists have the ease of crossing and this after the water level of this river has decreased. Users, for their part, are already raising their cries of alarm to the authorities. “We live at today’s rate, if the authorities could intervene because we have products that can easily rot. If nothing is done, the price risks galloping,” explains a driver.
Located more than 85 km from Bunia, the commercial center of Kasenyi and that of Tchomia constitute an economic heart of the province since these towns are the entry and exit doors for products between the DRC and Uganda.
Freddy Upar, in Bunia
