• Nearly 180 trucks from Kisangani remain immobilized on the Makana–Mengwe section of RN3.
• Local markets in Walikale report rising prices and declining stocks of essential goods.
• Transporters urge provincial and national authorities to launch emergency rehabilitation works.

The Walikale territory in North Kivu faces a growing risk of supply shortages in essential goods. The advanced degradation of National Road No. 3 (RN3), which links the region to Maniema, has disrupted the circulation of goods for nearly a month.

Local sources report that almost 180 trucks from Kisangani remain immobilized on the Makana–Mengwe section, located on the border between Walikale (North Kivu) and Lubutu (Maniema). Heavy rains have turned several portions of the road into deep mud, which makes vehicle passage nearly impossible.

The Association des Chauffeurs du Congo (ACCO), quoted by Actualité.cd, states that 120 vehicles remain blocked between Makana and Makote in Walikale territory. ACCO adds that 80 additional trucks remain bogged down between Losso and Mengwe on the Maniema side.
 This situation significantly slows traffic along a corridor that remains essential for supplying remote areas of North Kivu.

The disruption already affects several consumption centers, including Makana, Biruwe, Logu, Ndjingala, Mubi and central Walikale. Local traders report rising prices for basic commodities and gradually declining inventory levels due to irregular resupply. Some imported products from Kisangani have begun to disappear from local markets.

In response to the prolonged paralysis, transporters call on provincial and national authorities to launch urgent rehabilitation works on the affected road segments. They argue that a rapid intervention would restore traffic and prevent a broader supply crisis in the region.

This article was initially published in French by Ronsard Luabeya

Adapted in English by Ange Jason Quenum