Over 1000 trucks carrying Congolese cargo are marooned in Chililabombwe and Chingola after the Congolese government closed their side of the border, opposition Green Party President Peter Sinkamba has disclosed.
Mr Sinkamba who toured the Kasumbalesa Boarder and Chingola has accused the Zambian Government of lacking seriousness in dealing with the Coronavirus.
He wondered how the Congolese Government can close their boarder to transporters carrying their own cargo but concluded that this can only be done because the Zambian government is a joke.
Mr Sinkamba said the Congolese government takes the Zambian government for jokers.
He said a serious government would have ordered the truckers to return to their destinations of origin with immediate effect and order that no Congo destined trucks are allowed to enter Zambia until further notice.
And Mr Sinkamba said it was inevitable for coronavirus cases to rise in Zambia provided the country is not locked down, and all entry points closed.
With numbers having increased to 16 as announced by Health Minister Dr Chitalu Chilufya yesterday, Mr Sinkamba said the country need total shutdown of all entry points.
He said stimulus packages, in terms of tax exemptions, should also be contemplated.
Clueless Lungu is a joke himself. Nobody takes him seriously in the region. Can’t wait for Zambia to have a real president, one that Zambians can be proud of, and not this clueless guy we currently have. What a shame.
Mr Sinkamba if those trucks were carrying weed, you would be pleading for the Congolese to open the borders. What are you doing touring Kasumbalesa when you are supposed to be at home not spreading the corona virus.
Sinkamba be responsible and mature. You shouldn’t be making irrelevant tours during this time and risking the spread of the virus. Those trucks probably have goods for public consumption. We don’t know your current status so please heed government advice and seat down!
Sinkamba is right. PF Government response on COVID 19 is just a joke. Any sensible government would have ordered the truckers back. No government can entertain foreign trucks to block a stretch of road covering over 30km. #sendthemback!
I drove around the place on Tuesday and the convoy was nearer Richard Kazala’s premises. We can’t allow this to continue. Last time they killed a driver in DRC and there was a strike by truck drivers I advised these inept councils at Chingola and Chililabombwe to create a dry port. That will create employment. Truckers can offload cargo at the port and the Congolese can collect their cargo then we charge handling fees. If they don’t collect their cargo within 48hrs you begin to charge storage, if they don’t collect within 30 days you auction. Even Zimbabwe can’t allow this kind of thing. Now drivers are stuck without sanitation and Zambia has to suffer the consequences. Can you isolate the fuel tankers? We have people in govt that can’t think properly, they’re just shouting…
They’re just busy shouting ECL2021 instead of governing, very pumbafu chaps
Peter Sinkamba is very smart chap. Reminds me how he called out the MMD abuse of the privatization process
Much as this pandemic is tragic, a once in a lifetime opportunity will presented to those countries that will be nimble enaf in the post covid 19 era. We seriously need to build up capacity in our manufacturing sector. Congo is a huge market for us. But first, let’s close our borders before we are wiped out. Send those trucks back b4 cholera also breaks out. Our plate is full with corona now…
He said a serious government would have ordered the truckers to return to their destinations of origin with immediate effect and order that no Congo destined trucks are allowed to enter Zambia until further notice.
Ba sinkamba these are the consequences of zambia waiting or leaving other countries to decide our fate, and are these govts not consulting each other, if the zambian govt had known the intententions of the congolese,we would have closed the boarders at katima mulilo, chirundu etc so that these trucks would not tasted any zambian tar, now we have to look and provide for sanitation facilities for those stranded drivers.
Those trucks probably have goods for public consumption yes smuggling mealie meal to DRC that’s why you can’t close the border you are one of them KZ.
I am surprised they are not calling this intelligent man chamba man any more because he has more brains than the combined Lungu cabinet…
Looks to me Like the lungu grz is playing a mafia extortion game without regard to public health or safety………..looks to me me like they want foreigne truckers marooned in Zambia so the finish their monies in Zambia ……
How else would you explain this lack of communication with neighbouring countries
So where are all those truck drivers congregating and relieving themselves ? There is the problem ….
If its goods for the Congolese and yet it’s the same Congolese that are not allowing them through then it’s only the same congolese that will suffer, not only in late arrival of their goods but also extra charges for the delays not to mention losses due to perishable.