Truck drivers from Kenya operating across the East African region have raised alarm over the detention of their colleagues in South Sudan, claiming several have been jailed without formal charges.
They also expressed frustration over the Kenyan government's apparent reluctance to intervene on their behalf.
The truckers, through their association, the Long Distance Drivers and Conductors Association (LoDCA), confirmed that they have been forced to undergo various challenges in the world's youngest nation, and despite their attempts to have the government intervene on the greater interests of trade, little has been done to salvage the situation. According to the truckers, Kenyan drivers and other counterparts from the region end up in South Sudan jails over petty offences, which stem mainly from the poor road designs in the foreign nation. ''When traffic incidents escalate into legal proceedings, foreign drivers face an uphill battle.
Legal representation is hard to secure, court cases are slow, and rulings are often biased in favour of local interests.
