Kenyan government has issued a decree to all Truck Drivers departing to neighboring states to test for Coronavirus 48 hours before leaving the country.
The move announced by the Cabinet Secretary James Macharia is intended to reduce congestion of the cargo trucks along Kenyan borders and also nuetralise the disease.
Kenya has 582 confirmed COVID-19 cases which is the highest number in the East African region.
Mr Macharia further said that the same directive applies to drivers entering Kenya from other countries.
And their certificates must be renewed every after 14 days which is the incubation period for Coronavirus.
“All truck drivers going to neighbouring countries have to be tested 48hrs before departure. This applies to drivers coming from other countries. Certificate must be renewed every 14 days,” James Macharia said on Twitter.
For long the issue of Truck Drivers has become unresolved in the region yet they continue to be a threat to communities in the hinterland since all EAC governments allowed these drivers to move without knowing their COVID-19 status.
Uganda which is perceived in the region as having been successful in containing the virus has in the recent times grappled with truck drivers who have since increased the number of COVID-19 cases.
But what remains challenging is that these drivers have gradually infecting the local communities.
With 55 recoveries and 100 cases, Uganda had taken over weeks without a local community case until last Friday when a police officer in Masindi tested positive.
It later emerged that this officer had interacted with a truck driver.
The Masindi Police Station has since been cordoned off and all policemen and their families quarantined.
Ugandan Health Minister Dr Ruth Aceng said that however, mass quarantine is expensive.
