North Kivu: Light vehicles authorized on the Béni-Kasindi weighbridge

Beni, April 15^th, 2025(CPA)-Only light vehicles have been authorized to cross the bridge over the Semuliki river between Beni-Kasindi, in North Kivu, in the east of the Democratic Republic of Congo, an administrative source told us on Tuesday. ‘Given that there is no warning that this bridge is in danger of collapsing, certain measures have been taken. A number of measures have been taken, including the suspension of traffic by vehicles carrying more than twenty tons and heavily laden vehicles between Beni-Kasindi. Only vehicles with loads not exceeding twenty tons are authorized to traffic on this road until the bridge is rehabilitated’, said Alain-Badivila, territorial director of the Customs and Excise Department in Beni. ‘There are six damaged signs. The consequence is that if we allow heavily laden vehicles to pass, the bridge will collapse. Our solution is to install a weighbridge to regulate the loading of vehicles, but also to reduce the number of twenty-tonne vehicle loads that are allowed to pass over the bridge. We’re asking users to respect this measure’, said Dieudonné Mwemwe, head of brigade at the Beni Roads Office. The Congo Business Federation (FEC) welcomed the measure taken by the Provincial Security Council and said it was ready to raise awareness among its members. On December 30^th, 2024, the Butembo section of the Association des chauffeurs du Congo (ACCO) had also issued warnings about the risks of the Semuliki bridge leaking and had proposed the installation of a weighbridge to ensure the safety not only of the goods of economic operators but also to prevent any danger on this trans-African road. ACP/