600 Truck Drivers Strike At Ugandan-South Sudanese Border

Fahad Shabbir (@FahadShabbir) Published January 17, 2023 | 12:50 PM

KAMPALA, Uganda, (UrduPoint / Pakistan Point News - 17th Jan, 2023 ) -:At least 600 long-distance truck drivers from Uganda, Kenya, Rwanda, Tanzania and Burundi have started indefinite strike Tuesday, demanding better treatment from authorities.

Drivers packed vehicles with goods at the border town of Elegu in Uganda and refused to cross into South Sudan.

They claim that they are tired of being tortured by South Sudan police who put in place illegal roadblocks and extort money.

Any driver who refuses to be bribed is detained or even shot dead, they said.

"We have made the decision to strike after getting tired of paying bribes and illegal taxes to policemen, army men and immigration officers in South Sudan.

They detain or kill any one of us who fails to give them money. Seven of our colleagues are being detained in the town of Nimule," said one Kenyan driver, Isac Ojambo.

Asadu Musisi, chairman of the Regional Heavy Trucks Association, told Anadolu that East African governments need to help the drivers.

"There is a need for the leaders of East African countries to meet soon and discuss the safety of truck drivers on roads in South Sudan," he said.