Kenya truck drivers protest cross-border driving rules

Kenyan truck drivers and companies have protested a decision by Uganda government to stop foreign truck drivers at entry points and hand over the trucks to Ugandan drivers.

The proposal will see Ugandan drivers deliver the cargo to its final destination within the country or hand it over to another driver incase the truck is still in transit.

The decision follows a spike in number of foreign truck drivers testing positive, raising fears that while Ugandans have been locked at their homes, foreign truck drivers have become the real threat to efforts in combating the Covid-19 pandemic.

On Friday, Ms Robinah Nabbanja, the State minister of Health in charge of General Duties, said government had asked companies to recruit the Ugandan drivers with-in three weeks to implement the new directives.

“They can have a chance to recruit Ugandan drivers and other country drivers because they (companies) had one, two or three drivers…..our policy now requires that you come to the border, the vehicle continues with another driver,” she said.

However, the decision has been protested by the Kenya transporters association members who say this will escalate the cost of transporting goods and that security of goods and trucks will be compromised.

“This would drastically increase the cost of transportation to the trucking companies while the business has been affected due to reduced cargo volumes and longer transit times. Transporters would also incur additional expenses in providing accommodation for additional drivers,” a petition signed by Ms Mercy Ireri, the chief operating officer of Kenya Transporters Association, reads in part.
Ms Ireri said they have instructed their members to adhere to all regulations enacted by regional governments in the fight against coronavirus by providing face masks to the truck drivers, sanitisers, hand-washing soap, and water as they travel.

“The drivers are under firm instructions not to carry any passengers on the way, sanitise after handling any documents which should be done while wearing gloves. Most importantly, the drivers are under instructions to self-quarantine within their trucks to avoid interactions while undertaking a trip to a given destination,” she said.

She said the security and safety of the cargo would be compromised by multiple drivers involved in a single haulage, the relay driving change over by drivers would create inefficiencies and that truckers would face challenges in tracing driver’s responsibilities on truck misuse, damages and theft of fuel.

Ms Ireri also said the relay driving would raise challenges with regards to Insurance as any accident or theft would likely be challenged by the insurance companies.

Uganda is yet respond to the petition. Attempts to get a clarification from Ms Amelia Kyambadde, the Trade minister on how her ministry will respond to the petition were futile by press time.

Gen Jeje Odongo, the Minister for Internal Affairs, and Gen Katumba Wamala, the Works minister, did not respond to our repeated calls.

Proposal

The association has proposed that drivers must undergo mandatory Covid-19 tests at borders. According to the proposal, if a driver is found to be Covid-19 negative, the same driver should be allowed to proceed with the trip to its destination and those found Covid-19 positive should be put in isolation as guided by the World Health Organisation regulation and the transporter should be informed to make arrangements for another driver to undergo the Covid-19 test and proceed with the journey.

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