A serious situation has developed at the Kasambulesa Border Post between Zambia and the DRC.

Over the past 6 months there have been several blockades of the border by disgruntled drivers. As management, we have to sympathise with their grievances.

Drivers are continuously harassed by Police

• Unsubstantiated claims of
• speeding
• unroadworthy vehicles
• incorrect documentation

Security issues

• Complete lack of security at borders and those that are supposed to secure the borders, harass the drivers
• Two drivers have been shot in the last two weeks

We are currently in day 5 of a blockade on the Zambian side.  Drivers are insisting on speaking to a Senior Spokesperson from SADC/Kinshasa.  The local Governor from Lubumbashi has addressed them, but drivers are not interested as he does not seem to weld authority over those in the area.  In the last week, the blockade turned violent, but calm has been restored.

Below is an article from one of the local Zambian newspapers (dated 2^nd October 2013)

‘OPERATIONS at Kasumbalesa border post in Chililabombwe yesterday remained suspended for the second day running following Tuesday’s protest by truck drivers on the Zambian side over the shooting and wounding of their Zimbabwean counterpart in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC).

Patrick Murifi, 31, a Zimbabwean truck driver was on Saturday shot and wounded in the DRC, an incident that incensed fellow drivers on the Zambian side who on Tuesday reacted with a violent protest. The irate truck drivers who refused to cross into DRC yesterday continued with their protest despite calm having being restored at the border post.

Copperbelt Police chief Joyce Kasosa confirmed in an interview that operations in terms of trucks going into and from DRC had remained suspended for the second day.

“Calm has retained at Kasumbalesa border post but trucks are still not crossing into and from DRC because the drivers want to be addressed and assured of their security while in that country,” she said.

Ms Kasosa said she was yet to get information as to how much property was destroyed during the confusion on Tuesday.

Several trucks were on Tuesday and yesterday marooned at Kasumbalesa border post following the refusal by the truck drivers to cross into DRC.’