Uganda’s “inefficiencies” in screening truckers for Covid-19 threatens regional economic stabilityfrom virunga post. 

Uganda’s carrying out of Covid-19 tests on truck drivers at border points is causing anxiety among East African countries, due to the fact it is “inefficient, inadequate, and poorly implemented,” according to truck drivers from different countries. On the Kenyan border side, fears are already looming that Uganda’s “poorly conducted testing” will bring about economic instability in the sub-region.

Hundreds of trucks are stuck on portions of highway between Eldoret in Kenya and the border town of Malaba, creating a sea of diesel engines and goods.

The consequences of Uganda’s actions are already being felt, as the regional supply chains have been disrupted. Trucks carrying essential commodities into Uganda itself and the rest of the Eastern African region are spending weeks at Ugandan borders of Malaba, Busia and Mutukula as a visit to the area will reveal. “Cargo trucks delivering essential imported goods such as fuel and other vital commodities from the port of Mombasa have been stuck at the Ugandan borders for weeks,” said Mercy Ireri, the CEO of Kenya Transporters Association.

The delays in clearance of cargo trucks at Ugandan entry points has hampered fuel supply in countries like Southern Sudan and Democratic Republic of Congo. “We are concerned about the effect if governments impose very challenging restrictions that could impact the ability to move essential goods around the region,” Josh Sandler, chief executive of Lori, an e-logistics company, told BBC. “It could become catastrophic if essential goods cannot get from place to place,” he added.

While the rest of EAC countries have brought heads together and averted an economic gridlock like the one currently being witnessed at the Ugandan borders, Uganda has insisted on doing things its own way.

“What happens is that upon arrival, drivers park their cargo laden trucks and go to line up for Covid-19 testing, and then wait for the results. This takes days, even weeks. Once the results are released, a driver who is found positive is asked to go back to his country. A lot of time is consumed in the process of looking for a healthy driver to drive the truck to the destination of goods,” said Mohamed Karani, a Tanzanian truck driver who was caught in the 30 km gridlock.

According to Karani, the delays are exacerbated by other factors, rather than the testing process. The frustrated driver revealed that sometimes the Ugandan testing teams run out of testing kits and people in the queue have to wait for hours before the testing resumes again. “This is a frustrating crisis for us. The officials at the border are testing drivers who have to wait for between 6-8 hours for results. During this time, drivers wander away to run personal errands as they wait. Once the results come and some drivers are positive, the officials start the process of tracing them and sometimes their phones are off. This results into another delay,” said Salim Bakari, a Kenyan truck driver.

On May 27, truck drivers staged a protest at the Ugandan border, demanding the government of Uganda to find a better solution that would ease the crisis.

But Uganda’s authorities were adamant. President Museveni is blamed for taking this strict option knowing fully well that the region depends on these trucks for the delivery of a big percentage of essential commodities, including fuel. This is the very reason truck drivers were designated as essential workers because they transport critical goods such as food and medication across East Africa.

East African Community guidelines require truck drivers to be tested at the starting point, and a certificate issued before they embark on the journey to their destinations.