Billy Muiruri
18 December 2011
Anxiety crept into the transport industry on Sunday as a strike threat by truck drivers became more real.
Movers and dealers of huge cargoes expressed concern at a possible loss of about Sh400 million a day should the strike called by the Long Distance Truck Drivers Association take off on Tuesday.
Cargo owners, through the Kenya Shippers Council (KSC), now want the Kenya Transport Association to engage the drivers in meaningful negotiations to avert a regional trade crisis.
“It is not a Kenyan issue. Business will come to a standstill in East and Central Africa. It is grave to imagine the losses,” said KSC chief executive officer Gilbert Langat.
The council threatened to ask its members to cancel contracts with transport companies that will not cushion cargo owners from the effects of the strike.
“If they let their drivers strike, they must get alternative drivers to transport goods. We cannot afford the losses at this time,” said Mr Langat on Sunday.
The Council fears huge losses in delay surcharges, backlog at the Mombasa port and theft of goods in the confusion.
He said unpicked cargo could attract a charge of $25 dollars per 20-feet cargo a day.
At the Malaba border alone, more than 800 trucks pass through it daily raising charges of about Sh150,000 a day.
Fuel siphoning
The strike will coincide with another called by the Matatu Welfare Association and is expected to paralyse preparation of the festive season. Workers umbrella union, Cotu, has supported the strike.
The truck drivers issued the strike threat last month and asked the minister for Labour John Munyes to intervene. He had not done so by the time of going to press on Sunday evening.
The truck drivers are demanding a minimum of Sh30,000 while the turn-boys want to be paid Sh15,000. Currently, some drivers earn as little as 15,000 while turn boys take home Sh10,000.
The salaries have been blamed for rampant cases of fuel siphoning and cargo thefts along the highways in EA countries.
According to the strike notice issued by their General Secretary Nicholas Mbugua, the drivers demand to be employed on permanent basis.
They also want those who have been laid off should be re-instated. The truck drivers union has issued a list of 114 drivers and workers who have been sacked for involvement in union affairs, especially in Mombasa.
The effect of the strike threat is being felt in some major towns where petrol stations are hoarding fuel in anticipation of a crunch time next week. Among the drivers expected to go on strike are those employed by oil firms.
On Sunday evening, KSC members were in panic, as the Kenya Transport Association seemed not to heed the warning of the impeding strike.
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