At least 4,500 truck drivers have been stuck at the Busia and Malaba borders for the last two weeks.
Speaking to the media, the drivers detailed their unbearable stay in the area over the period, during which a traffic snarl up exceeding 30 kms snaked its way from the border.
"These drivers have been stuck there for 2 weeks. Some are in remote areas with no trading centres where they can purchase basic items such as food and water,
"In Uganda, they are saying we can't come in without Covid-19 certification. However, we are getting nothing from the Kenyan side. We have a Minister for Trade CS Betty Maina but she has been silent," one of the drivers detailed.
According to their statements, all their attempts to ask for testing kits have been met with one response, 'there aren't any reagents available'.
Haki Africa Executive Director Khalid Hussein, speaking from Busia claimed that the slow response from the government was a ploy to ensure cargo business was switched to the Standard Gauge Railway (SGR).
He further alleged that trucks linked to unnamed top officials and businessmen managed to find their way into Uganda with ease.
In a bid to prompt action from the government and relevant Ministries, the truck drivers announced that they would not move their vehicles from the road.
"Our strike will commence now, we will not move from the highway until our grievances are addressed," one of the drivers revealed.
The conspiracy surrounding the battle between truck drivers and the Cargo sector of the SGR came to the public limelight in October 2019.
Truckers in Mombasa staged a protest after Transport Cabinet Secretary James Macharia announced that all cargo would be ferried by the SGR. A directive he rescinded just 2 days later.
On average, 35% of goods from the port are transported by the SGR and 65% he explained.
The latest development at the Uganda border crossing points has paralysed cargo transport, and some landlocked East African States could find themselves facing shortages of fuel and other key imports.
Watch the trucker press statement below:
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