The deplorable state of the RN17 during the rainy season
The RN17, linking Kinshasa to the province of Mai-Ndombe and the city of Bandundu, is currently in an alarming state. The heavy rains that fall on the region further degrade this already dilapidated road. Travelers and traders who use this stretch face many obstacles such as quagmires, deep holes and erosions. Vehicles get stuck, overturn or break down, making the crossing extremely difficult and painful.
The journey between Kinshasa and Bandundu, which would normally take a few hours, can now take more than 24 hours in a 4×4 vehicle. Travelers arrive covered in dust and mud, their luggage and vehicles damaged by the chaotic state of the road.
The local population, as well as the Bandundu Development Recovery Union, a civil society structure, are calling on the government to intervene to remedy this unbearable situation. Daily travel and economic exchanges are greatly affected by the state of this road.
In July 2022, work to rehabilitate the RN17 was launched, but was interrupted due to insecurity in the region. A Chinese worker lost his life in an attack by local militia, leading to a halt to work. The Roads Office is calling for the security situation to stabilize in order to be able to resume rehabilitation work.
The RN17 is one of the roads to benefit from modernization thanks to financing from the African Development Bank. The successful completion of this project is essential to improve the living conditions of the region’s inhabitants and facilitate economic exchanges.
It is urgent that measures be taken to remedy the disastrous state of the RN17. The population must no longer be victims of these unacceptable travel conditions. Let us hope that the government and the relevant authorities will act quickly to rehabilitate this essential road for the Bandundu region and its inhabitants.