Drivers mistreated in Mozambique
The Road Transporters Association of Malawi (RTOA) has asked the government to engage Mozambican authorities over the problems truckers still face whenever they are picking goods from Nacala or Beira or are just transiting from South Africa.
According to RTOA executive director, Chrissie Flao, the offences that Malawian drivers are mostly fined for in Mozambique include wrong parking, alleged poor vehicle conditions as well as breakdowns.
Flao said despite engaging the Mozambican government at a high level meeting two years ago, the situation on the ground is still unfavourable as drivers are still being subjected to heavy fines.
“As transporters, we want government to come up with policies that can help our drivers to be treated with dignity whenever they are passing through Mozambique. Much as we know that there is a language barrier, something can be done to minimise incidences of heavy fines. In Mozambique our trucks are fined even when they have broken down. Here we don’t do such a thing,” she said.
She said Malawi is not the only country that faces difficulties with Mozambican traffic officials as drivers from South Africa, Zimbabwe and even Zambia have also previously complained about the same.
“Our hands are tied and we only hope that the government can engage with the Mozambican authorities once again to see how they can sort out this issue,” said Flao.
On requests from clients that the transporters should reduce charges due to the recent fuel reduction, Flao said they are looking into the matter.
“What people should know is that vehicles do not just need fuel to move, so it is not automatic that whenever there is fuel reduction we should also reduce our charges. If the reduction is between 10 and 15percent that is when we can easily reduce charges. Currently, some operators who are getting new contracts are reducing the charges but those who have contracts still running will have difficulties to lower the fees,” she said.
The RTOA was formed in 1989 and currently has over 250 members.
Minister of Transport Fancis Kasaila could not pick up his phone as he was reportedly in Parliament.
As a landlocked country, Malawi depends on Mozambique’s road network for most of its imports and exports.
According to the World Bank, some 82 percent of the Mozambican section of the road corridor from Lilongwe to Nacala is in ‘fair’ condition, while 18 percent is in ‘poor’ condition.
Just want also to comment on your Malawian traffic police men. They also mistreat foreigners on your roads I have been a victim twice or three times for minor problems and they couldn’t listen to my plea on the problems but fined me heavily and forced me to pay on the spot .The one problem I remember very well was one break light that burned when I was on the road from Blantyre to Balaka and it was still day time difficult for me to discover the problem. When the traffic policeman stopped me at Zalewa roadblock he noted the problem and I tried to explain that the time I left Blantyre all my lights were working and that break bulb that was not working has just burned on the road but the man didn’t want to listen but fined me.To me that was harsh and I could understand why the policeman man could not understand the problem as when you drive you always apply brakes to control your speed and for the break bulbs to burn it is very easy.
So while you complain about Mozambican traffic police men, educate also your Malawian traffic police men. Police men are there to help and protect people and not to punish. A fine does not educate or correct an error.
It is not only truck driver who are mistreated. But ordinary people who travel to South Africa or Zimbabwe. Mozambican authorities at boarder posts at Dedza, Zobwe and Nyamapanda demand bribes for not no reason at all.
The problem is that this government has poor ministers who do not want discuss with the Mozambican authorities. I expect the minister of home affairs and minister of foreign affairs to lodge these complaints with their Mozambican counterparts. But they are just quiet. Mozambicans have been mistreating Malawians for many years. This has continued because Malawi ministers are just sitting. In USA, if an American is mistreated anywhere in the world it will be the president who will be first to make noise.
I am a proud Malawian, BUT I AM NOT PROUD OF THE GOVERNMENT. IT DOES NOT SERVE THE PEOPLE.