Truck drivers at the Mukambo border post in Mufurila District have protested over continued alleged harassment by Congolese Nationals. Scores of unhappy drivers alleged that some unscrupulous Congolese have been attacking and killing truck drivers whenever they fail to pay the demanded amount at the checkpoint in the Democratic Republic Of Congo (DRC). One of the victims has told LusakaTime News that for a long time now, attacks have been reported but authorities from that country are unresponsive yet international truck drivers are the cornerstone of its thriving economy.
He adds that the move taken is in response to the latest attacks that have not only infuriated Zambians but other drivers from as far as Zimbabwe, Malawi and Tanzanian among others. According to the drivers, the alleged attacks have been happening for some years now and the situation has become worse leading to drivers being killed nearly every month. As a result truck drivers have decided not to enter into the neighbouring DRC until security measures are put in place to protect them.
Saturday morning social media was flooding with images of truck drivers who were shutting down the Mukambo border post. The drivers are appealing to the UPND Government to intervene in this matter and ensure that the challenges being faced by truck drivers are addressed.
And confirmed reports are coming in that another Zambian truck driver was attacked and killed by unknown people in the neighbouring Democratic Republic Of Congo (DRC). Efforts to get a comment from the SADC Drivers Association proved futile as phone calls went unanswered during broadcast time.
Meanwhile in the Ndola district truck drivers at Sakanya Border Post on the Copperbelt Province have bemoaned insecurities in the Decorticate Republic of Congo (DRC) where cross-border trade has become a deadly cat and mouse game. The drivers revered to Lusaka Times News that even in some cases police officers of that country are allegedly involved in the extortion of armed drivers who are brutalities if they don’t comply with bribes. The groups that dispersed traders during the protest have vowed to have their concerns heard because they feel the issues have been prolonged and are being ignored by leaders in the SADC Region. A clearing agent Joshua Moyo complains that the continued harassment once inside the DRC is affecting businesses such as his because not many are keen to cross the other side of the border. Mr Moyo says the Zambian government must urgently engage its neighbour to end the unprovoked attracts that are disrupting regional trade.
What a sad development going on, hope same thing can be done before more lives alots and this a country zambia is considering going into partnership with for the electrical car batteries manufacturing .
They appealed to the Upnd government… do we have another government in place?
Poor reporting
Still on the subject of poor reporting: Its not Mukambo but Mokambo. Its not Mufurila but Mufulira
Not Sakanya but Sakania
Sorry for the injuries and deaths being suffered. The employers of the drivers don’t seem to care much about the welfare of their employees bcoz thy get good money frm drc. Otherwise thy shd be delivering only to end at the border and Congo busines pick up the cargo..the insecurity in Congo won’t end anytime soon bcoz of very corrupt govt in Congo.
Kasai is something else…….
The truckers should shut all trade through the boarder untill big business inside DRC which will be affected more , intervenes to put some sense into the police command in DRC…….
Kasai is one of 200 tribes in Congo. We know its your xenophobic term for Congolese but keep your tribalism in Tongaland
@censored
In fact it’s real name should be Mufulila: place of abundance. However the colonisers couldn’t pronounce the two Ls so they replaced the latter one with an r.
Just as they found it difficult to pronounce Nkana and they settled for Rokana.
This article is so poorly written . So many grammatical and spelling errors. Lusaka Times, you need to be serious. Find a competent editor. Be professional.
Kikikikikikiki just ask any muzungu to say Akuna matata.
They can’t. They’ll say Akuna matara
Kikikikikikiki @ kalale just ask any muzungu to say Akuna matata.
They can’t. They’ll say Akuna matara
That is katumbis province. There is no law and order there.
Is Katumbi still around?
The Congolese are the most primitive peoples earth. In gods name how can civilized human beings kill and fight each other since 1960. Even Somalians will stop and the Congolese will remain fighting. Killing people and eating human beings and monkeys is still common in Congo. What a rubbish country!
That’s exactly what the whites said about all Africans as they killed and maimed these natives. It looks like you learned their lessons well and are applying their principles