Panzi, 20 January 2011 – The Pakistan contingent of MONUSCO built a bridge for the population of Panzi, a small town 30 km south-east of Bukavu, the provincial capital of South Kivu. The bridge links Panzi and Mulamba and will also serve the near-by town of Tulinki, as well as other surrounding villages.

According to the military public information officer, Lieutenant-Colonel Liaquat, the decision to construct the bridge came about after witnessing the difficulties that the local populations experienced while trying to link up to one another. In the past, hundreds of people on foot and in vehicles crossed the river with the help of logs, a risky adventure, which often resulted in accidents.

The bridge was inaugurated at the beginning of the year by the South Kivu brigade Commander, Brigadier General Muhammad Jamil, in a modest ceremony attended by a number of local authorities.

With this new bridge, economic activity is likely to pick up in the area, which in turn, will have a positive impact on the livelihood of the local population.

Mohammad A. Wahab/MONUSCO