Kumi town has been a host of long distance trucks including fuel tanks destined for South Sudan, Kenya and other areas. Kumi Municipality Mayor, Richard Ochom more than 30 trucks could park in his town every night as drivers refresh themselves.
Kumi District Taskforce for COVID- 19 has banned stopovers of all cargo truck drivers in the district.
The municipality is a transit route for long-distance trucks including fuel tanks destined for South Sudan, Kenya and other areas.
Kumi Municipality Mayor, Richard Ochom says that more than 30 trucks park in his town every night.
Ochom notes that with the increasing cases of truck drivers testing positive to COVID-19, they don’t want to take risks.
“These drivers mix up with our girls here whenever they arrive. They enter lodges, restaurants and access many other places. This is risky for us since more drivers are testing positive to Corona Virus. So, it’s better to prevent this before the situation gets out of hand”, Ochom said.
Hussein Kato Matanda, the Resident District Commissioner of Kumi who doubles as the chairperson of COVID-19 taskforce says Kumi is not a gazetted parking area for the trucks.
Matanda revealed that two truck drivers survived lynching in Atutur Sub County last night when their trucks got mechanical faults.
Matanda explains that some members of the community mobilized themselves and attempted to stone the drivers whom he notes were rescued by police.
Bartholomew Aucur, a resident of Kumi Municipality says the initiative by the taskforce on trucks is a very good move to safeguard the community from the deadly virus.
Mark Okello
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