Drivers bear the brunt of Covid-19 border closures, as East Africa faces food security threats
Long-distance truck drivers form an essential part of the food system. They are the link between different nodes of production or import, and the final points of food distribution, and consumption. Beyond that, truck drivers haul chemicals, equipment, and other inputs that are essential for a myriad of agricultural activities along the entire value chain.
As such, truck drivers are vital in maintaining regional food security. In the Eastern African region, 83% of transit cargo on Kenyan roads goes to Uganda, with Rwanda, Tanzania, South Sudan, and the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC), accounting for the rest. One can therefore say that, to a certain extent, these countries’ food security also depends on Kenyan drivers.
But these days, truckers are an angry lot.
Truck drivers bearing the brunt of Covid-19 border restrictions
At least 2,000 trucks cross into Uganda from Kenya each day, through the Malaba and Busia border crossings. Whereas cargo clearance per truck previously took between 4–24 hours to be completed, now it can take up to 48 hours due to Covid-19 restrictions. The delays have seen drivers spend several days stuck in traffic stretching up to 60 kilometres beyond the border points, on both sides.
These delays expose the drivers to a myriad of challenges. Firstly, there are no sanitation facilities available to the drivers, which is a public health hazard. They are unable to access Ugandan lodgings or restaurants to rest. Furthermore, truckers are restricted from getting out of their vehicles even if they feel unwell. Drivers have also been the victims of violence, including a recent rape allegation.
Drivers also face growing stigmatization. According to the Kenya Long Distance Truck Drivers Union (KLTDU), some Ugandans have been made to believe that Kenyan truckers bring Covid-19 into the country. For many of these drivers, the stigma, like a stench, follows them even once they come back home. “It hurts, our families-those who we drive for, are afraid of us”, says one of the drivers interviewed for this article.
In an interview with the Nairobian Newspaper, KLDTU Secretary-General Nicholas Mbugua lamented that Covid-19 has heightened discrimination against Kenyan drivers, “yet our Ugandan counterparts mingle with us freely.” The physical and psychological toll of days on the road without proper food or rest, coupled with accusations of being “super-spreaders,” is having a major impact on drivers’ wellbeing.
On 13th June, Samuel Kinyua Wangware, a 35-year old truck driver, was found dead in his cabin at Busia. He had just delivered hydrogen carbonate, the major component in the production of baking soda, and was awaiting clearance to cross back into Kenya. Wangware is among the latest victims of a series of unfortunate events that have disrupted long-distance transport since the outbreak of the pandemic in the region. He tested negative for Covid-19, leading many of his colleagues to conclude that the unforgiving working conditions may have played an important role in his death.
The Union has threatened to halt operations into Uganda until the safety of their drivers is guaranteed by both Kenyan and Ugandan authorities. At the start of July, the Kenyan Ministry of East African Community and Regional Development stepped in by removing barriers which slow down movement of trucks. However, the situation is yet to be fully resolved on the Ugandan side. Many drivers have no other source of income. They have no option but to keep on driving, even if it leads them straight into a death trap.
Will border restrictions hamper regional food security?
Six nations in the region, including Kenya, Tanzania and Uganda, belong to the East African Community, a common market area that allows for free movement of people and goods. Despite this, each country has put in place protectionist measures in response to the Covid-19 outbreak, with the most obvious being restrictiction of movement at the border points.
As highlighted in an earlier article, the closure of the Tanzania-Kenya border created a diplomatic row that threatens trade in onions, and other agricultural products. Unlike Tanzania which has three ports, landlocked Uganda cannot not afford such a radical move. Uganda heavily relies on Kenya for imports, while also serving as a transit point for Rwanda, South Sudan, and the DRC.
Despite the severe impacts borne largely by drivers, border restrictions have, so far, not had a significant impact on food security in the region. If that were to occur, the most immediate victim, after Uganda, would likely be South Sudan. Due to its instability, the country heavily relies on food aid, with the World Food Program (WFP) importing up to 325,000 tons annually. The bulk of this food is offloaded at Kenya’s Port of Mombasa before being delivered to Juba via Kampala.
In view of the sensitive situation in South Sudan where conflicts are ongoing amidst the pandemic, the WFP has sought alternative routes. For the first time in two years, the humanitarian agency has resumed direct food deliveries from Kenya through the Nadapal Border Crossing. While this route had been discontinued due to poor infrastructure and insecurity, the problems at the Kenya-Uganda border have seen a return of food convoys, such as a recent delivery of 280 metric tons of food.
It is, however, highly unlikely that Kenyan truck drivers will stall operations into Uganda. Therefore, the country will continue to get the supplies it needs to maintain food security, albeit with delays. While this goes on, the drivers are still facing their own food security, and health challenges. This is unfair treatment for such an important contributor to the region’s economy. Kenyan and Ugandan authorities should work together to quickly resolve the situation.
In the meantime, let’s hope no more lives will be lost.
Written by Atula Owade
This article is part of Covid-19 Food/Future, an initiative under TMG ThinkTank for Sustainability’s SEWOH Lab project (https://www.tmg-thinktank.com/sewoh-lab). It aims at providing a unique and direct insight into the impacts of the Covid-19 pandemic on national and local food systems. Also follow @CovidFoodFuture, our Video Diaries From Nairobi, and @TMG_think on Twitter. Funding for this initiative is provided by BMZ, the German Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development.
