Tanzanian truck drivers are staging a mass boycott refusing to take their cargo vehicles into Zambia, following a series of attacks targeting them after crossing the Tunduma border.
According to the Tanzanian truckers, they are being targeted by muggers in Zambia who reportedly attacked their Lorries and recently killed two drivers from Dar-es-salaam.
In the first incident a Tanzanian trucker, Mzee Omari was shot dead in Ndola and so far there have been no explanation regarding his killing.
The truckers have thus downed tools at the Tanzania-Zambia border in Tunduma following yet another occurrence in which one of their colleagues, Benjamin Miyovere, or Miyovelle, aged 28, was murdered in Nakonde, Zambia.
Miyovere reportedly died after being hit on the head when a group of assailants in Zambia thronged his truck and started attacking him.
The deceased was driving a truck, laden with copper cathodes, from Kolwezi, Democratic Republic of Congo, and heading to Dar es Salaam, Tanzania via Zambia.
Together with his assistant, Simon Edgar, the late Miyovelle arrived in Nakonde Zambia an hour before midnight on the fateful day and stopped his truck near the Nakonde main bus station, waiting to be cleared at customs.
It was at that time when some people appeared and started to cut off the ​ropes securing the tarpaulin which covered the cargo.
The driver confronted them but they attacked him with something sharp on the head, leading to his death.
Though the matter was reported to Nakonde Police Station, nothing much was done and when the Tanzania Times tried to contact the Zambian authorities, they had no comment.
Apart from the two killings of fellow drivers, the Tanzanian truckers say they are facing highway attacks, threats and vandalism on their vehicles as soon as they cross into Zambia.
Now the Tanzanian drivers are tasking authorities on both Tanzania and Zambian sides, regarding their safety and future survival, now that people in Zambia are targeting foreign truckers.
They are demanding to be addressed by their Tanzanian Government regarding the deaths of their two colleagues and are seeking guarantees for their safety from the Zambian Police.
The drivers have threatened to halt all truck movements until their demands are met and have vowed not to transit into Zambia until their safety is assured.
Nakonde District Commissioner Marvelous Sikapizye admits in local Zambian press of having received reports about the incident.
Zambia authorities affirm that there is a concerning trend in Nakonde where criminals have been spotting trucks waiting for customs clearance.
A driver from Rwanda sums up the situation by saying; “Out of all the SADC member states, one only feels safe when driving in Tanzania, other countries are horrible!”