A union representing long-distance truck drivers has threatened to mobilise its members and other unions to suspend cargo transportation to the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) if security concerns along the route are not addressed.
The Kenya Heavy Commercial Vehicle Operators Society (KHCVOS) says some parts of the DRC continue to experience insecurity despite persistent calls for improved security along the Northern Corridor, putting the lives of drivers at risk.
The concerns follow an October 2026 strike by heavy commercial truck drivers in Ituri Province, which disrupted movement along National Road 27 (RN27) following the reported killing of three drivers of Kenyan, Somali and Congolese nationalities at Pimbo in Djugu territory, according to media reports.
The affected transport network serves several areas in Ituri Province, including Pimbo and Djugu, as well as Bunia, Mambasa, Nioka, Fataki and Mahagi, with the wider corridor extending towards Kisangani.
The Kenya Long Distance Truck Drivers and Conductors Association (LoDDCA) confirmed that the strike began on October 20, 2026, along the Mahagi-Kisangani route and the Kolwezi-Lubumbashi route in southern DRC, calling for the suspension of cargo transportation to the country.
“There was no movement of trucks along the affected route as drivers took a stand against growing security threats and demanded urgent action to protect transport workers operating in DRC,” LoDDCA noted in a statement to the press.
In the statement, LoDDCA disclosed that reports it had received indicated that about 12 drivers from different nationalities had been killed in the ongoing violence in the DRC.
According to KHCVOS , the strike was called off following a meeting between transport representatives and the provincial administration, during which the authorities gave assurances of improved security, particularly along high-risk sections.
Speaking to KNA at Malaba border after returning from a meeting with the provincial administration in the DRC, the Chairman of the Kenya Heavy Commercial Vehicle Operators Society (KHCVOS), Sudi Mwatela, called on countries along the Northern Corridor to strengthen security measures to protect drivers, warning that failure to address the situation could disrupt cargo transportation to affected destinations.
