Hundreds of motorists were on Sunday, July 12, forced to spend the night stranded along the Malaba-Bungoma highway as a massive traffic snarl-up stretched to over 33 kilometre.
This disrupted movement towards Kenya’s border with Uganda with congestion reported around the Kanduyi area being liked to delays caused by mandatory Uganda Revenue Authority (URA) plate seals for trucks entering Uganda.
In a statement, the Long-distance drivers and conductors association (LoDCCA) said the prolonged wait has raised concerns about their safety, cargo security, fatigue, and the lack of essential facilities, such as ablution services, along the affected stretch.
“The Malaba jam is now 33km long, at Kanduyi, Bungoma County. The backlog is due to mandatory URA plate seals for trucks heading to Uganda,” the association stated.
“Drivers are concerned about safety, cargo security, lack of ablution facilities, fatigue, and prolonged delays,” it added.
Reports indicate that the long-distance drivers spent the night on the roads, ultimately affecting other road users who usually depend on the northern corridor for their daily movements, who also experienced delays.
Following the snarl, the Kenyan government, through the State Department of East African Community Affairs, intervened with the Ugandan authorities to expedite the mandatory plate seals for the trucks.
According to LoDCCA, despite interventions by authorities, the situation remains critical, with hundreds still trapped on the road as of Monday morning.The association says the jam is now about 26 kilometres, with motorists reporting a snarl-up from the Mayanja area in Bungoma County.
