In a distressing turn of events, the Kenya Long Distance Drivers Association raised alarm on Sunday, January 21, expressing grave concerns over the alleged mistreatment of 64 Kenyan long-distance drivers detained by South Sudan authorities. According to the association, the drivers were forcibly apprehended, with reports indicating that they were frogmarched from their vehicles at gunpoint by security officers and subsequently incarcerated under conditions raising fears of inhumane treatment.
Roman Wema, the Chairperson of the Long Distance Drivers Association, voiced their apprehensions, stating, “They are in chains the whole day in the cells. We are worried because we know what would happen to them there.” The arrests were purportedly linked to demonstrations staged by the drivers in response to the mysterious deaths of four Kenyan colleagues. The association alleges that these individuals fell victim to gunfire from South Sudanese law enforcement personnel stationed along the roads.
Wema further revealed that the victims were members of the Long Distance Truck Drivers Association hailing from major Kenyan cities, including Mombasa, Nairobi, Nakuru, and Eldoret. He lamented, “Recently two of our members have been killed, but the other week, two had also been killed,” highlighting the gravity of the situation.
In response to the mounting crisis, the association has issued a stark warning, threatening to orchestrate regional driver demonstrations across the East African region. Their protest aims to draw attention to the plight of their members in South Sudanese custody and to honor those who lost their lives under questionable circumstances.
While some detained drivers have been released, the fear of potential attacks on the roads has deterred their return home. With over 3,500 drivers navigating the transport corridor from Mombasa to landlocked South Sudan, the situation has become a cause for regional concern. One driver lamented, “A driver gets out of their home in Mombasa to take cargo to South Sudan so that they can be able to take care of their family, then get arrested. There are laws, and the laws should be followed.”
This alarming incident adds to a growing list of reported harassment cases involving Kenyan truck drivers in South Sudan. The affected drivers are urgently appealing to the Kenyan government for intervention, seeking the safe repatriation of those detained back into the country. Additionally, they implore both nations to address the underlying challenges faced by drivers operating along the transport corridor. As tensions escalate, the region watches closely, hoping for a swift and peaceful resolution to this distressing ordeal.