Highlights:

• Key bridge linking Ingbokolo to South Sudan collapsed under truck load
• Deputies press governor for urgent rehabilitation, question Petro-City’s role
• Structure built in 1956 had collapsed twice before, last repaired in 2020

A bridge linking eastern Congo’s Aru territory to South Sudan collapsed last week, cutting off trade and cross-border movement and raising concern among provincial lawmakers.

The Kibi bridge, which connects Ingbokolo to Kengezi-Base, gave way under the weight of a goods truck on Aug. 14, halting traffic along one of the main commercial routes to South Sudan. The closure has stalled customs revenue collection at Kengezi-Base, a key border post.

In a letter to the military governor of Ituri, provincial deputies urged the urgent rehabilitation of the bridge and sought clarification on whether Petro-City, which has been rehabilitating nearby roads since April 2024, would take on the project.

The 26-metre structure, originally built in 1956 to support 20 tonnes, was previously rehabilitated in 2020 after an earlier collapse in 2006. Local authorities steered the work, with support from the Fédération des Entreprises du Congo (FEC).

Ronsard Luabeya