The first lorry crosses the newly built bridge at Rusumo Border

It was around 2.09 PM(Kigali time) in Kirehe district that the first lorry labelled  T931 CSN to cross the newly built bridge between Rwanda and Tanzania entered Rwanda. This bridge located in an area called Rusomo has was inaugurated and will  much contribute to the cross border trade between the EAC nations especially between Rwanda and Tanzania.

The bridge is wide enough to let two big lorries bypass each other and is currently estimated to be completed at 94 per cent and is worthy 6 billion Rwf.

Its builders affirm that the bridge is strong enough to uphold over 400 tons while the former one was as string as to uphold only 56 tons of weight.

The bridge is 80 meters long and have built with the support of the JICA( Japanese International Cooperation Agency) with the supervision of joint Rwandan and Tanzanian governmental teams.

The former one was firstly built in 1972 and only renewed in 1993.  The new one has started being built last May, 2013.

Alongside this new bridge,  are other useful buildings set up in the surrounding area as to increase the effectiveness of the service delivery for all the bridge users, especially  traders.

According to the agenda, the construction activities will end up in the forthcoming  November, and the delegations from both Japan and Rwanda will officially inaugurate the bridge, thereafter.

One of the users of the bridge Xavier Hitimana has expressed his appreciation for the availability of a new and working bridge as it will reduce the number of the lorries that station around in a long wait.

This one will help many lorries to cross the bridge as quickly as never before therefore help the trans-border trade to be quick and fair.

UM– USEKE.RW