**The challenge of controlling embarkations on Lake Kivu: Towards an essential strengthening of regulations and controls**
Lake Kivu, a vast expanse of water located on the border between the Democratic Republic of Congo and Rwanda, is an important transport axis for local populations. However, an alarming observation has recently been made concerning the embarkations and dockings that are carried out in a disorderly manner, endangering the safety of passengers and transported goods.
Observations made by a Fatshimetrie reporter highlighted the dysfunction of the regulatory services in the ports of Goma, with embarkations taking place in a chaotic setting, under the helpless gaze of local authorities and services supposed to ensure compliance with rules and safety standards.
The passengers interviewed attribute these disorders to the lack of control on the part of the General Directorate of Migration (DGM), the police and the lake police station. Indeed, passenger registration is often followed by coercive requests for payment of services by the DGM, without any checks on the exact number of passengers embarked.
Another problem lies in the non-compliance with the embarkation capacities of vessels, whether in terms of number of passengers or weight of goods transported. Passengers testify that boats on Lake Kivu often exceed their capacity, endangering the safety of all those on board.
Furthermore, it has been reported that voyage manifests do not always correspond to the actual number of passengers on board, thus leaving the possibility for stowaways to enter vessels undetected. These failures in upstream controls increase the risks of accidents and shipwrecks, endangering the lives of passengers and crews.
It is now urgent that the competent authorities take concrete measures to strengthen regulations and controls in the ports of Lake Kivu. More rigorous monitoring of embarkations, crews on board, ship loading and voyage manifests is essential to ensure the safety and security of all travelers.
In conclusion, it is imperative that actions are taken quickly to remedy these dysfunctions and prevent potential tragedies. Passenger safety and the proper management of lake transport must be absolute priorities to ensure a peaceful and safe journey on Lake Kivu.