Truck drivers blame graft for traffic crisis at Malaba border

Truck drivers using the Northern Corridor have blamed rampant corruption on Malaba border for the traffic gridlock witnessed there every so often. 

In recent weeks, most truck drivers from Mombasa, Eldoret, Nakuru and Nairobi have been stuck in traffic stretching about 120 kilometres.

The truckers have been experiencing traffic jams from the time the Covid-19 pandemic was reported in the country in March. As of yesterday, the traffic was at Webuye town — about 80 kilometres from Malaba border.

Drivers who spoke to the Nation said they believed that corruption at the border was to blame for the traffic snarl-up.

Mr Patrick Kasee, who is ferrying wheat from Mombasa to Kampala, Uganda,  and has spent six days in the traffic jam, said some of his counterparts  have been giving out cash to be assisted to clear quickly at the border.

Jam system

“Some individuals at the border, who often brag of having State protection, are having a field day.  Sometimes they jam the system intentionally to create a problem so they can be given bribes,” he said.

“We give them money to release certificates, yet they don’t do that on time and when you complain you are told to ‘speak well’,” he said.

Mr George Kingora, a driver delivering electronics to Kampala from Mombasa said police and border officials are making a killing from the Covid-19 pandemic.

“We’re calling upon authorities led by the Director of Public Prosecutions Haji Nordin and the Directorate of Criminal Investigations boss George Kinoti to find out why the jam is mostly on the Kenyan side and not Uganda’s,” said the driver. Mr Kingora said the Ugandan officers are more organised than their Kenyan counterparts,  “who are always slow and making lots of demands when clearing us despite being given money”, Mr Kingosa said.

“For instance, at Kocholia towards Malaba town, traffic is usually heavy, and you’re not supposed to park your vehicle aside to catch some rest. If you do, police remove your number plate, and for it to be returned, you must part with Sh5,000,” he said.

The driver added that some truck drivers give police Sh3,000 to help them overlap to beat the jam.

“We’re calling upon Transport CS James Macharia to come and see for himself the hell we’re going through [as] Kenyans,” he said.

Covid-19

“The CS has never set foot here since March when this menace began,” Mr Kingora said.

George Moyo, another driver who has spent a week on the road from Mombasa to Kanduyi, said truckers have been stigmatised and made to look like they are the agents of Covid-19, something that has even affected their families.

“We’ve been forced to buy our own gas cookers and foodstuffs to prepare meals since hotels have been shunning us,” he said.

“In normal times, I take six days from Mombasa to Kampala, but now I can spend even two weeks on the road,”he said.

Efforts to get a comment from Malaba border officials on the claims by the truck drivers, bore no fruit.

The drivers have now threatened to stage protests.