Kenyan truck drivers halt DR Congo cargo after 12 drivers reportedly killed
A drivers' association says a Kenyan was among those killed and has asked transporters to stop loading cargo for the Mahagi-Kisangani route.
Based on reporting by The Eastleigh Voice and Kenyans.co.ke.
A highway rest stop at Salama, Makueni County. File photo, 2025. Photo: Bahnfrend / Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 4.0
The Long Distance Drivers and Conductors Association has told Kenyan truck drivers working in the Democratic Republic of Congo to stop operations, after it reported that 12 drivers had been killed, among them a Kenyan.
The association said drivers began a strike on Tuesday, 20 October, along the Mahagi-Kisangani route, and that no trucks were moving there. Drivers have also suspended trips on the Kolwezi-Lubumbashi route in southern DRC after fresh clashes, according to The Eastleigh Voice. The reported deaths have not been independently confirmed.
The association asked transporters, clearing and forwarding agents, cargo owners and shippers to stop loading and sending DRC-bound cargo on the affected route, warning that goods could be stranded and drivers pushed into unsafe areas.
It wants the killings investigated, better security coordination across borders and stronger protection for transport workers, and says cargo should not resume until there are credible safety assurances.
East African Community Affairs Principal Secretary Caroline Karugu has said Kenya has stepped up diplomatic efforts and held talks to protect truck drivers and traders, according to Kenyans.co.ke. No response from the DRC government was reported.
