The Nord-Kivu government has officially launched the construction and modernization of 25 km of urban road at Beni, following the occupation of Goma by the AFC-M23. The ceremony was held at the ENRA roundabout, under the direction of the provincial governor, General-major Somo Kakule Evariste, in the presence of the other political and administrative authorities, local leaders, and several segments of the population.
The project is being financed entirely by the Congolese government, and aims to improve traffic flow, sanitation, and mobility conditions in the Beni city.
The project covers several strategic axes of the city. It aims to particularly improve circulation, sanitation, and the movement of residents.
According to technical fiche presented by the Beni Roads and Drainage Office (OVD), the works include a 13 km stretch connecting the starting point located at PK 0 to the Kasindi road, passing through Masiani and the Okapi Palace. The boulevard Beu, the Sakalombi street, the Kalinda avenue, the Révolution avenue, and the Nyamwisi loop, are also included in the affected axes. The latter, long 1.6 kilometers, will be carried out with rigid concrete pavement.
The project also includes the reprofiling and preparation of the road platform, the construction of embankments and collectors, the installation of a foundation in selected materials and a base layer in stabilized lime. A rolling layer of bitumen-based cement is also provided.
Timothée Sumaili, director of the provincial Office of Roads and Drainage (OVD) in the North-Kivu, stated that ‘The works to be carried out currently cover a total linear length of 25 kilometers, distributed across several axes of the city of Beni. They include, among other things, sewage installations, different layers of road, sidewalks, and signage horizontal and vertical.’
