Construction Begins on New Lukaya River Bridge in Kinshasa

Residents of Kinshasa's Mont-Ngafula and N’Sele communes can anticipate relief as construction officially commenced on a new bridge spanning the Lukaya River. This vital infrastructure project will reconnect the two municipalities, restoring circulation and trade that has been disrupted since the original bridge's collapse in April 2025.

The construction work has been entrusted to the company SAFRIMEX, with a projected completion timeline of ten months. The official launch was presided over by the Minister of Public Works and Infrastructure, John Banza, following persistent calls from local populations for action.

Upon completion, the bridge will significantly enhance the movement of people and vehicles across the river. It is set to directly link strategic areas such as Mont-Ngafula's Lemba-Imbu and Verman neighborhoods with eastern sectors of the capital in N’Sele, thereby alleviating geographical isolation.

Local residents have expressed their relief and anticipation. Paul Tshilumbu Kantola, a resident, welcomed the project's tangible start, stating, "We were a bit doubtful, and now it's concrete. I thank the minister who is sparing no effort to rebuild our city of Kinshasa. But the whole of Congo is a major construction site."

Currently, inhabitants in this part of Kinshasa rely on precarious makeshift solutions, including wooden ladders and risky crossings over submerged rocks, to traverse the river. The original bridge was completely washed away by heavy rains in early April 2025, and its prolonged absence has severely hampered daily mobility, turning the river crossing into a daily ordeal.