Mud at least a foot deep on either side of a slippery 90-kilometre dirt track that truck drivers are forced to use on the empty leg south out of the DRC into Zambia, is again underscoring the plight of transporters passing through one of Africa’s most congested crossings.
In a Whatsapp message shared on Transist, the transit assistance initiative recently launched by the Federation of East and Southern African Transport Associations, a transporter said the notorious road between Kasumbalesa and Mokambo to the east was rapidly deteriorating.
He said although it was usually quicker to pass through Kasumbalesa, the main copper belt transit point between the two countries, trucks were being diverted to Mokambo to relieve congestion.
“Unfortunately the Mokambo road is horrific and now that the rains have come it’s almost impassable.”
He said given the number of trucks back-hauling out of the DRC, “it would probably be better to go through Kasumbelesa” which, compared to last year this time, “is reasonably okay”.
But another transporter has indicated that empty trucks aren’t allowed to proceed south through Kasumbalesa.
“DRC police force the trucks to use the Mokambo route and say it’ an instruction from government.
“They charge a $50 toll to use the Mokambo route and that’s the reason they force everyone that way as they become used to the extra income.”
He added that although Kasumbalesa was open for a while to south-bound empty haulers, authorities nevertheless forced trucks to head for Mokambo. – Eugene Goddard
