Over 200 Congolese stranded at closed Mpondwe border post

Kampala, Uganda | URN | Over two hundred Congolese nationals are stranded at the Mpondwe border post, which was closed due to the Ebola outbreak.

Lt. Joe Walusimbi, the RDC Kasese, met with the stranded Congolese. He explained that he is operating under orders to enforce the border closure and has no authority to reverse the decision.

Walusimbi acknowledged the suffering of those stranded and promised to seek further instructions from his superiors, noting that the decision was beyond his control.

Among those stranded are women and children, with some having exhausted their funds after several days of waiting.

Dezile Kambale from Butembo, Beni, expressed frustration, stating that they have been at the border for many days, and thier money for hotels and food is finished.

Kambale was supposed to be in Kampala early this week.

Lapala Ouzemen shared similar stories, noting that some of them have been waiting for more than two days to cross into Uganda, while others have been stuck even longer.

Dekule Nzwandazi reported that some of the stranded travelers are Kenyans and Tanzanians attempting to cross for business purposes, but remain confused about the situation, as Congo has not previously closed its borders.

Lt. Walusimbi assured the stranded travelers that he would request clarification from his superiors and hoped for a resolution within two days.

He also mentioned that spies have been deployed at the border to monitor the situation.

At Mpodwe,  border closure has sparked concern among the affected travelers and local communities, raising questions about the impact of such decisions on cross-border trade and regional mobility.