The supply of basic goods to Bunia has been disrupted by difficulties on the main routes connecting the city to Uganda. The provincial capital of Ituri is largely dependent on imports from Uganda, Kenya, and Tanzania.

According to local sources, the 55 km Bunia-Kasenyi road is now impassable after heavy rains caused the Kisenge River to overflow. This route, used by traders as an alternative to the RN27, allows for the transport of low-tonnage goods shipped across Lake Albert via the ports of Chomia and Kasenyi.

The RN27, the region’s main corridor connecting Bunia to Mahagi (185 km), also faces serious challenges. The road is in poor condition and has been the site of regular clashes between the army and armed groups. From July to August, several ambushes were reported, attributed to CODECO, Zaïre, and the Convention for the Popular Revolution (CRP) militias led by Thomas Lubanga. On August 14, the Congolese armed forces (FARDC) had to escort about a hundred trucks that had been stranded in Mahagi for two weeks to ensure their safe passage to Bunia.

Faced with these obstacles, many traders had turned to the Kasenyi route despite its limited capacity. Its current interruption is increasing fears of a supply shortage from Uganda.

Two Congolese companies, Good News Africa and Congo Éveil Logistique, are in advanced discussions with the government to modernize the RN27 through a public-private partnership. The project, a Build-Operate-Transfer (BOT) model, involves the rehabilitation and operation of the Komanda-Mahagi section (258 km), with the installation of toll booths and weigh stations to preserve the road's condition.

Timothée Manoke (Intern)