Malawi army soldiers escort fuel tankers as truck drivers reject new salaries

October 23, 2019 Owen Khamula - Nyasa Times 39 Comments

Malawi Defence Force (MDF) soldiers are now escorting fuel tankers as the strike by truck drivers that has paralyzed transportation of imports and ex[ports enters the third day.

Truck drivers impunded trucks on the roads in Lilongwe during the strike

The truck drivers on Tuesday disagreed with the leadership of Truck Drivers Association who negotiated with the government to have salaries for all cargo truck drivers pegged at an average of K60 000 whilst those of fuel tankers pegged at K140 000.

The truck drivers shouted down their representatives who had gone to meet the government team at Capital Hill, including Transport and Public Works minister Ralph Jooma.

Deputy spokesperson for the drivers’ association Lewis Chokani said the representatives sealed the best deal but understood the sentiments of the other truck drivers who rejected the offer.

Chokani said the new salaries was just a starting point as a task force has been forced and mandated to continue negotiating for better pay.

Most filling stations in the Capital City were running low on fuel and Electricity Generation Company (Egenco), the country’s main producer of power, has warned of further load-shedding due to the fuel crisis caused by the truck drivers strike.

Minister of Transport and Public Works Ralph Jooma told reporters that the minimum wage agreed for truck drivers might change as discussions are ongoing.

“We started talking about this issues last week, It is not only salaries issue that they want addressed,” said Jooma.

He said they have instituted a task force to give answers after two weeks.

Truck Drivers Association of Malawi president Richard Jubeki Phiri said they are not happy with the  temporary minimum wage but said the meeting with government has given them a flicker of hope that authorities will  push transporters to raise salaries  for professional truck drivers to te range of K300 000 and K500 000.

Trucks are a major mpde of transportation of goods in landlocked Malawi.

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39 replies on “Malawi army soldiers escort fuel tankers as truck drivers reject new salaries”

  2. Our army has been reduced to guards because they have nothing to do. Ntambo is away to Addis and when he come back they will have to protect him and his protesters meanwhile they busy escorting fuel trucks.

  3. So this country lizidalira army kuti zinthu ziyende. Tsiku lina akuluakulu mudzayesa ngati tsoka …….

  4. And why inconvenience other road users by blocking free passage? Uwu ndiye umbuli.

    That said, some of you truck owners are, to a great extent, too mean. What can your driver do with K26000 a month. I agree K300,000 is much too much in most cases, but K26,000 abale? Kuba uku.

  5. And by the way what were they discussing with government? Is government their employer? If anything govt through the industrial labor relations court would mediate in their dispute with their employers. Bwana Masud you so on point, 300, 000 ain’t even the entry level salary for someone with a first degree. Give us a break!!!!!!

  6. Malawi timaonjeza, timangofuna anthuazigwira ntchito molimbika but no salaries MK 100,000 uchita nayo chani mmene zintu zikudauliramu. Govt workers must do the same

  7. Druck driving is one of the riskiest jobs in the world and I can’t believe they are paid MK100,000 – MK140,000. It’s only fair to increase their salaries as the owners make so much more anyway. Make sure you include reasonable insurance for these drivers as well.

    1. @ vikhumbo

      Such a post is based on shallow understanding of transport economics. Sadly, mutharika has surrounded himself with people who think exactly like you.

      1. @citizenry so ntchito ngati sikukusangalatsa you hang around? quit the job and let the truck owners suffer. what is difficult to understand here

  11. Trucks, minibuses brought nothing but chaos to this country’s transportation system, trucks even cause more accidents. People and goods no longer travel with an ETA unlike the way it was with the buses and trains. The 1994 UDF government sponsored this chaos to fatten the pockets of a few individuals. I wish the trucks and minibuses could be faded out and reintroduce buses and trains…

        2. You ate right. Even before 1994 Malawi relied heavily on rail transportation. For instance fuel was transported from Mozambique into Malawi through rail and no single litre of fuel was lost or siphoned. This is not the case now …

        3. If that is the case, then let the trains resurface. Economically, the country will the cost of transportation through Trucks.

      2. Trucks, minibuses are not important. Zimangochulusa congestion mu mseu. A President anu a multiparty anabweresa zinthu ngati zimenezi kuti azidyapo bwino uku atapha njanji. We could have had one of the best rail systems in Africa, koma pano were back to the 19th century in our railroads. Ma truck bwenzi ali okangotenga zinthu ku station, sikuti bwenzi tili ndi ma truck omatifwamphukira ma brake on roads such as Magalasi Road etc. Amalawi ndife anthu osaona koma timapanga pretend like we do.

  12. Kodi mwati pa MBC Ng’ona Sumbleta yachindapo azimai angati okwatira pamalopo in exchange for promotions?? To all men who have wives at MBC mulipamavuto ndi azikazi anuo. Recently he sent his brother- Allan Kochie (osiyana bamboo but same mum) ku china pa program yomwe siimamukhuza on govt ticket lero wamulowetsa ku Malawi bureau of standards popanda ma interviews. Athu ndi maso tiye nazoni, tsiku lasala pang’ono tikumenyelani mademo mmakomomo!

    3. Am glad my comment has been read bcz I know for sure some guys will take heed. We say no to kuchindilidwa akazikazi in exchange workplace favours komanso kulembana ntchito mwachinyengo!

  13. these truck drivers if they want to stop working let them stop why forcing others not to drive trucks who have accepted the deal. they are directly effecting the government operations and although they say its not politically motivated, but every citizen of malawi is effected with blackouts and lack of essential goods. Those not happy with the deal continue the strike but forcing others not to work is not fair to other drivers and citizens of Malawi.

    1. not everyone was happy with the decision but its the best for all drivers.. to tell u the truth, truck drivers do not lack money, salary is nothing, angofuna kut driver aliyese akhale pabwino, without working together nothing can be achieved

  14. The army is getting too much involved in internal matters. Surely, we are making this government less and less civilian. We are planting bad seeds and its a matter of time before we regret it. Trust as a basis upon which leadership is exercised, is achieved through mutual respect and acceptance and it is mended when broken through contact and dialogue not using force or bullying.

    3. I agree with you Bwana Likoma, we dont need any hiccup then then our men & women in camouflage are out on the streets, that’s really bad. All this is because of this Mulhako government, it has turned police into zombies of DPP, they don’t wear the honour they used to have anymore. We don’t need soldiers on a petty strike. Soldiers are there to help during natural disasters.

  15. Is this the role of Police or Army? Who will then protect our boarders? Or does it mean loss of trust in our reformed police?

    1. Ndani anakuuzani kuti asilikali ntchito yawo ndi m’ma border basi? Asilikali can be utilised for security, flag showing as well as development of a country. If you look at things only up to the tip of your noses then you will always miss the bigger picture.

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