In Uvira, eastern Democratic Republic of Congo, daily life has slowed dramatically since the border with Burundi was closed on 10 December. Streets that once buzzed with traders and transporters are now largely empty.
Cross-border trade, the city’s economic lifeline, has been halted. Hundreds of traders and families who previously moved goods between Kavimvira in Congo and Gatumba in Burundi now face severe hardship. Small-scale merchants, like saleswoman Scolastique Mushota, say the closure has left them struggling to survive.
The impact goes beyond commerce. Many residents relied on medical facilities in Bujumbura for better-equipped care. Julienne Mapendo, a local trader, warned: “People are dying because they cannot access treatment.”
The border is also a shared social space, with families, marriages, and schools spanning both countries. Parents like Georges Bibenga stress the importance of allowing children who fled to Burundi to return to continue their education.
Despite restored security in Uvira after the December incursion of AFC/M23 fighters, the border remains shut. Civil society advocate Ghislain Baraiga Kabamba called for reopening: “This border is vital for economic and social life. Its reopening would bring much-needed relief.”
Residents stress the need for security measures but plead for a balance that ensures survival and normalcy. For Uvira, the border is not just a checkpoint—it is a lifeline.
Africanews/Hauwa M