Deadliest Journeys - Congo : Mud Prisoners

At the time of its independence, the Congo had one of the best road networks in Central Africa. Today, barely 2% of the roads are paved. The rest are just dirt tracks, often impassable in the rainy season. North Kivu is one of the richest regions in Africa and especially the breadbasket of the country. Everything grows here. This province provides food to all of Congo. To transport it to the rest of the country, there is only the road, the National 4. Foodstuffs leave the city of Goma to reach the river port of Kisangani, nearly 1,200 kilometers away. From there, they are sent by boat to Kinshasa, the capital, and to the other provinces of the country. This road is a vital axis not only for the country, but also for the neighboring countries, which pass their goods through it. In the old days, trucks would make the trip in three or four days. But now the journeys have lengthened considerably. It takes them between two and six weeks to reach their destination. We follow Eric, a seasoned driver in his 40s. With