South Kivu, 16 February 2015 – After being rehabilitated by MONUSCO/South Kivu, the the Luzira bridge in Kalehe territory was officially handed over to the provincial government on 16 February 2015.

« All of us were appalled by the natural disaster which claimed numerous lives and endangered many others, “said Mme Christine Kapalata, acting Head of MONUSCO office in South Kivu, at the bridge handover ceremony.

«MONUSCO, in its supporting role to the government of the DRC, could not remain passive in the face of this catastrophe and so has intervened, in collaboration with the provincial government, to help rehabilitate some of the infrastructure damaged by the landside,” she explained.

The Luzira Bridge is located on the eponymous river in Kalehe territory, which lies some 60 km north of Bukavu, the provincial capital of South Kivu. This is a critically important bridge for South and North Kivu as it allows the fluidity of trade between the two provinces.
The US $15,000 bridge rehabilitation was carried out by the Engineering Section and Chinese contingent of MONUSCO, with the help of the local population. It is 9.7 meters in length and 2.8 meters in width, and will withstand loads of up to 15 tons.
The president of the association of Kalehe civil society organizations thanked MONUSCO for this rehabilitation and called on the DRC government to reinforce the bridge for great durability.

Note that in October 2014, the Luzira bridge was swept away by a landslide as torrential rain hit Kalehe territory, killing at least 100 people and destroying 700 houses.

Tahina Andriamamonjitianasoa/MONUSCO