200810212202 | Long distance drivers protest at Uganda's border

Long distance drivers protest at Uganda's border

Long-distance truck drivers have protested at Malaba border post, against the poor state of the custom’s parking yard, bringing trade between Uganda and Kenya to a standstill. The Chairman of the Great Lakes Long Distance Truck Drivers Union, Mr Nicholas Mbugwa, said that the strike followed a meeting last Friday over the state of the yard as well as the poor state of the Uganda roads which have led to several major accidents.

“Trucks are overturning and breaking down every day at that yard,” Mr Mbugwa said on phone from Nairobi. “It is becoming very costly to drivers, importers and transporters because of the cumbersome experience they go through at that yard.”
The strike, which led to a queue of trucks more than a kilometre long, will come as an embarrassment to the government, which is hosting a regional summit to harmonise and coordinate trade, customs and infrastructure development in the region.

It will also cost both governments lost revenue from customs duties that the trucks would have paid as they crossed the border and comes shortly after Kampala and Nairobi extended opening hours at the border crossings to facilitate trade.

The spokesman for the Uganda Revenue Authority, Mr Paul Kyeyune said efforts were underway to address the driver’s concerns. “At least Shs100 million has been made available and the interim repair works will start this week,” blaming the delays on a complicated tendering process.