Confusion reigns at Congo DR border
Confusion reigns at Congo DR borderBy Staff Reporters
Sun 08 July 2012, 13:25 CAT
AN estimated 700 trucks are marooned on the Zambian side of the Kasumbalesa Border Post as SADC truck drivers continue to protest over the killing of their colleague last Thursday.
And ordinary Congolese have complained of hunger just three days of non-operations at Kasumbalesa border following the burning of a Zambian truck driver, Derrick Chanda, to death in Congo.
Meanwhile, some Congolese traders have been chased from Ndola streets while two were beaten by angry Ndola residents. The drivers who walked out of a meeting between the Zambian and Congolese officials called to resolve the stand-off Friday evening have continued to demand for an address by Katanga governor Moses Katumbi.
The meeting ended in a stalemate as the drivers refused to recognise the presence of Kasumbalesa mayor Andrea Kapampa and his delegation.
"What we have been told by our colleagues and what we know is that we came here to meet Katumbi, so since Katumbi is not here there is no meeting," said chairperson of the SADC Drivers Association Stanley Muluka as his colleagues walked away while Congolese officials watched in disbelief.
Present at the meeting were drivers from Malawi, Zimbabwe, Botswana, South Africa, Namibia, Tanzania, Zambia and a drivers' representative from Congo DR.
Later on after the drivers walked out, acting Chililabombwe district commissioner Stephen Chishiko addressed them on the Zambian side assuring them that the government would take their demands seriously.
Chishiko also thanked the drivers for the peaceful manner in which they were pursuing the issue.
And the Congolese who usually rely on Mealie-meal and other essential commodities from Zambia using the Kasumbalesa border have for the past three days failed to cross into neighbouring towns on the Zambian side as the irate drivers have kept vigil, turning away any Congolese pedestrian trying to trade in Zambia.
Zambia and Congo have strong trade links, especially in food stuffs as the Congolese buy several food needs from the Copperbelt.
When the Zambian delegation led by Chishiko visited Kasumbalesa, some Congolese who thronged their border offices with curiosity complained amongst themselves that the stubbornness by their authorities was 'killing' them as food supplies were becoming limited.
"Let them just apologise, these Zambians are serious. We are suffering, if they don't depend on Zambia for food we, depend on this border for daily essentials, let them listen. Three days is long enough, very soon our children will start dying of hunger because of a few individuals…," complained the Congolese as the Zambian delegation passed.
Other border officials said they were worried that mining operations within Congo would be affected as they depended on the fuel that passes through Zambia.
There was no activity at the border yesterday as security personnel and border authorities from Zambia were still awaiting communication from the higher authorities while trucks kept piling up at the border.
Zambians living near the border have for a long time complained of kidnappings and rape cases involving Congolese nationals.
And traders around Ndola's Town Centre have asked Congolese nationals to stop selling their merchandise in Ndola and demanded that they go back to their country. The traders, together with minibus drivers, have threatened to demonstrate if Congolese nationals continue trading in Ndola. And Truck Drivers Association of Zambia president George Kasalika said the Zambian and Congolese governments should put a stop to the killing of truck drivers.
Kasalika said this is not the first time a truck driver has been killed in Congo as many had been attacked in similar ways.
"It is not the first time our drivers are being killed; many drivers have died like animals in the hands of the Congolese, last time a Zimbabwean driver was killed on the Congolese side," he said.
Kasalika complained that many Congolese live a peaceful life in Zambia even without travelling documents which Zambians do not enjoy in Congo, because even Congolese police officers who were supposed to offer protect harassed them when they didn't possess immigration documents.
Meanwhile, there was confusion at Lusaka City Market yesterday when some angry traders attempted to destroy goods belonging to Congolese nationals at the market.
Police spokesperson, Elizabeth Kanjela confirmed that the situation was however calmed when the Police moved in.
"…We would want to take this opportunity to urge all members of the public to remain calm and collected as this issue is being handled by officials from the two countries. We should also have in mind that there are Zambians based in that country, so such acts do not only amount to breach of law here but also bring to risk the lives of our nationals in that country," Kanjela said.
A Zambian truck driver was on Thursday burnt to death in Congo DR forcing a boarder shut down at Kasumbalesa.
According to sources, a group of Congolese blocked the road at a sloppy area, demanding that the truck allows them to pass as they were going for a burial. And when the truck tried to swerve, it overturned in the process and spilt the cement which was looted by the same people, including suspected Congolese police officers.
"When they looted the cement, the story changed from going to the burial and now they accused him of hitting one mourner and they pushed him back inside the truck and burnt him beyond recognition," said the source.
Vice-President Guy Scott has also promised to engage the Katanga government at a higher level to resolve the matter which threatens trade between the two countries.
And Police have picked two bodies in Misisi and Industrial areas, respectively.
Kanjela said they had picked a body of an unidentified juvenile behind Shoprite near Ngwnya dam.
"Around industrial area, a body of a man identified as John chirwa was discovered with injuries on the head. He used to be a resident of George compound, also a security guard at World Food Programme. The body is lying in UTH mortuary awaiting post-mortem," she said.
And Police have also arrested a 31-year-old man for allegedly murdering his father.
"The suspect has been identified as Frank Ngalande of Muchiliba village Mumbwa district while the deceased is Adamson Ngalande, aged 55 of the same address," said Kanjela.
Labels: BORDER POSTS, DRC, KASUMBALESA, Moses Katumbi
posted by MrK @ 5:21 PM
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