Truck drivers stuck in Busia are stealing our women, locals protest

Men from the Mundika area in Busia County are now calling on the county and the national government to intervene and send away truck drivers caught up in the Kisumu-Busia Road snarl-up because “they are breaking their marriages”.

The truck drivers have camped along the area for the last seven days waiting to be cleared at the border to enter Uganda and other East African countries.

Their presence is now irritating the locals, particularly men who allege that the drivers are using their travelling allowances and taking advantage of products worth millions to seduce their wives.

Daniel Indusa, a resident and a boda boda driver, said the government should act swiftly to save the many marriages at the risk of breaking.

“We are really suffering. These drivers are after our women. On the other hand, we are losing customers who are worried about their safety as the traffic caused by the trucks continues to pile up. I am told these drivers are using their mileage allowances to seduce our wives and we are not going to sit back and assume things are fine,” claimed Indusa.

Indusa said the snarl-up has affected business along the highway by obstructing people from accessing them.

“As much as they are our fellow Kenyans and need our help, we are jealous and the fact that they have the cash to spend on our women most of whom are food vendors along the road, we cannot allow this to continue,” said Indusa.

Adams Wafula claimed the truck drivers are also defecating in open areas.

“We are urging the government to do the needful and ensure these drivers are cleared to proceed to their country of destination as soon as they get here. Many men have been quarrelling with their wives for the last one week because of truck drivers, some showing disrespect to their husbands, something has to be done,” said Wafula.

The Nairobian established that the residents, more so men, have employed a new tactic to keep drivers from associating with residents, particularly their women and daughters.

One of the tactics is instilling fear by claiming the drivers have not been cleared to pass through the border because they have tested positive for coronavirus.

The truck drivers have also been forced to spend the whole day and night inside their trucks as residents, especially men, have turned hostile.

Lilian Lelengwe, a resident, affirmed the claims saying that many women have been caught by their husbands speaking to the drivers.

“These people are human beings and they have feelings just like our husbands. When they get a chance to buy some fruits from women at roadside kiosks and stalls, they take that chance to seduce the women,” said Lelengwe.

However, the truck drivers led by Sebbiah Abdulahi dismissed the claims saying they have been rejected by the locals and are not allowed to get out of their trucks to purchase food.

“They have poisoned each other against us. They are claiming we have coronavirus and we are after their women which is all lies. This congestion is not our fault but of the customs department,” said Wafula.

Busia Sub-County Deputy Police Commander Steven Kimunya said they are engaging the customs offices and relevant officers from both countries to speed up the clearing process.