Navigating through the tumultuous terrain of the eastern Democratic Republic of Congo has become an arduous journey, plagued by deteriorating roads, unreliable bridges, and the constant threat of bandits and militias.
In stark contrast to the well-maintained roads in Rwanda, the route between Bukavu and Uvira, the primary cities in the eastern South Kivu province, is riddled with potholes and craters, making travel a nightmarish experience.
The closure of the border between Burundi and Rwanda in January has further exacerbated the situation, severing the safest and most efficient routes for transporting goods into the Democratic Republic of Congo.
Lorry drivers, like Albert Muganguzi, find themselves stranded for days on the 100-kilometre stretch along the border of Rwanda and Burundi, facing impassable roads and challenging river crossings. Muganguzi, stuck in the mud for three days after attempting to cross the Shange River, laments, “All the roads are impossible to travel; we are used to suffering.”
The dilapidated state of many bridges in the eastern Congo proves unable to withstand the weight of heavy vehicles or the force of overflowing water resulting from torrential rains.
Nathanael Kanune, behind the wheel of his Howo truck carrying tons of fish and food from Uvira, joins a growing queue of vehicles facing potential spoilage of goods. “The goods are going to rot; they will not last long,” warns Kanune.
As tensions rise at the border, makeshift passages become the only option for passengers to continue their journeys. Burundi closed its border with Rwanda on January 11, accusing it of supporting the rebel group RED-Tabara, responsible for a deadly attack near the DRC border in late December.
With no direct routes from Bujumbura to Bukavu since then, passengers are forced to endure the challenges of the Ngomo escarpment, a treacherous 40-kilometre mountainous track.
“I prefer to go through Rwanda because the road is good and safe,” says Sammy Bisimwa, expressing a sentiment shared by many. The Rwandan route provides respite from the difficulties encountered on the Congolese roads, particularly the Ruzizi plains, known for their dilapidation and lack of security, marked by incidents of robberies, assaults, and kidnappings.
Anselme Kangeta, a resident of Bukavu, highlights the comparative ease of the Rwandan side in terms of bribes passengers have to pay. While Rwanda boasts “just a small immigration checkpoint,” the Ngomo section in the DRC is plagued by numerous barricades manned by security services, causing unnecessary inconvenience for travelers.
The strained relations between the DRC and Rwanda, exacerbated by the resurgence of the M23 rebel group in 2021, have reached a new low. The Rwandan-backed rebels have seized significant portions of North Kivu province, effectively isolating its capital, Goma, from the rest of the country.
Despite the expulsion of the Rwandan ambassador in 2022, the border between the two nations remains open, adding another layer of complexity to an already challenging situation.
