The Congolese government has announced an additional $40 million to keep construction moving on the strategic Kananga-Kalamba-Mbuji road, a route designed to improve Kasai Central's access to Angola and the Lobito Corridor.
KANANGA - September 21, 2026 - The Democratic Republic of the Congo has allocated an additional $40 million for the modernization of the Kananga-Kalamba-Mbuji road as the government seeks to maintain construction momentum on one of Kasai Central's most important regional transport links.
The announcement followed an inspection by Infrastructure and Public Works Minister John Banza Lunda in the Kasai region on Sunday, September 20.
According to DosEco, the additional financing is intended to prevent an interruption of works and support continued modernization of the route. Zoom Eco also reported the $40 million allocation, saying it is intended to ensure continuity of construction.
35 kilometres reported paved
The latest government figures cited by both outlets say 35 kilometres have already been paved on the Kalamba-Mbuji road.
During his inspection, Banza Lunda visited Bakua Tshikota, in the Bakua Ntumba grouping, Musuasua sector of Kazumba territory, to assess construction progress and requirements for continuing the project.
The wider road project stretches roughly 230 kilometres toward Kalamba-Mbuji near the Angolan border.
The route is considered strategically important because it is expected to give Kasai Central a more efficient connection toward Angola and the Lobito Corridor, improving regional movement and trade.
The latest reports do not specify when the additional $40 million will be disbursed or provide a final completion date for the entire road.
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DRC Adds $40 Million for Strategic Kananga–Kalamba-Mbuji Road
Sep 21, 2026
Sep 21, 2026
5 min read
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The Congolese government has announced an additional $40 million to keep construction moving on the strategic Kananga-Kalamba-Mbuji road, a route designed to improve Kasai Central's access to Angola and the Lobito Corridor.
KANANGA - September 21, 2026 - The Democratic Republic of the Congo has allocated an additional $40 million for the modernization of the Kananga-Kalamba-Mbuji road as the government seeks to maintain construction momentum on one of Kasai Central's most important regional transport links.
The announcement followed an inspection by Infrastructure and Public Works Minister John Banza Lunda in the Kasai region on Sunday, September 20.
According to DosEco, the additional financing is intended to prevent an interruption of works and support continued modernization of the route. Zoom Eco also reported the $40 million allocation, saying it is intended to ensure continuity of construction.
35 kilometres reported paved
The latest government figures cited by both outlets say 35 kilometres have already been paved on the Kalamba-Mbuji road.
During his inspection, Banza Lunda visited Bakua Tshikota, in the Bakua Ntumba grouping, Musuasua sector of Kazumba territory, to assess construction progress and requirements for continuing the project.
The wider road project stretches roughly 230 kilometres toward Kalamba-Mbuji near the Angolan border.
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The route is considered strategically important because it is expected to give Kasai Central a more efficient connection toward Angola and the Lobito Corridor, improving regional movement and trade.
The latest reports do not specify when the additional $40 million will be disbursed or provide a final completion date for the entire road.
A route toward Angola and the Lobito Corridor
The Kananga-Kalamba-Mbuji road is part of efforts to reduce the isolation of Kasai Central and improve its connections with regional commercial networks.
Once completed and supported by functioning cross-border and connecting infrastructure, the road could make it easier to move people, agricultural products, imported goods and other merchandise between central DRC and Angola.
Its connection toward Angola also gives the project wider importance because of the Lobito Corridor, the transport network linking the Atlantic port of Lobito with inland markets and production areas.
DosEco notes that the project's eventual economic impact will depend not only on completing the road but also on sustained financing, maintenance and the quality of connecting road and logistics infrastructure on both sides of the border.
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Kaluebo bridge reopens to traffic
The ministerial inspection also covered progress on the Tshikapa-Kananga road.
According to Zoom Eco's September 21 construction update, 22 kilometres of the first section between the Kaluebo bridge and Mbulungu have been fully asphalted.
Another 30 kilometres are undergoing drainage and roadbed preparation, while 13 kilometres are awaiting the start of earthworks.
The tour also included the Kaluebo bridge, near the boundary between Kasai and Kasai Central provinces. The completed bridge has now been officially reopened to traffic.
Construction is also continuing on a mixed bridge over the Miyao River. The final assembly of its metal structure is expected by the end of October 2026, according to the latest project update.
Government seeks to keep construction moving
The fresh $40 million allocation is intended to maintain progress on the Kalamba-Mbuji route rather than allow financing gaps to interrupt construction.
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Banza Lunda is also expected to hold a technical meeting in Kananga involving contractors, the project supervision team and the funder to review implementation challenges and determine the next stages of work.
The latest announcement provides a new financing commitment and visible construction milestones, but important questions remain about the timetable for disbursement, the completion schedule and the precise status of individual sections.
Recent reports cite 35 kilometres as already paved on the Kalamba-Mbuji road. Earlier project updates have cited different surfaced-road totals, which may reflect different reporting dates, sections or construction standards. Until those figures are reconciled by the implementing authorities, the latest 35-kilometre figure is the current figure reported by the ministry and carried by multiple Congolese outlets.
For Kasai Central, the larger objective remains completing a reliable road connection from Kananga toward the Angolan border and opening the region more directly to the Lobito Corridor and regional markets.
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