Truck drivers will first have to obtain a certificate from the Ministry of Health confirming that they are Covid-19 free before being allowed to travel outside the country, Transport Cabinet Secretary James Macharia has said.
Mr Macharia, during the daily briefings on the current coronavirus situation in the country at Afya House on Wednesday, further said that the drivers will be tested 48 hours before their scheduled travel.
TRANSMITTING VIRUS
The transport sector is a key area in terms of transmission of the disease.
“As we said before public transportation is a very key area in terms of both transmission and also facilitation economic development. You have heard before about the risk of having truck drivers especially the ones carrying cargo into the country transmitting the virus, say from Mombasa going to the west in Malaba and going to other countries in the region,” Mr Macharia said.
“So as a region we have agreed that henceforth all truck drivers leaving for example our country going to neighbouring countries, have to be tested at least 48 hours before they leave Nairobi or Mombasa.
That is important because by the time they get to Malaba they have to show the certificate that they are Covid-19 free and that will be mandatory. This also applies to drivers coming from Rwanda,” Macharia said.
VALIDITY AND RENEWAL
The truck drivers will also have to show the certificate at the Mombasa port and other facilities they go to, to carry transit goods.
“All drivers going into Mombasa port, Nairobi and Naivasha ICD to carry transit goods, before they are let into those facilities they must produce that Covid-19 free certificate,” Mr Macharia stated.
The CS explained that the certificates will only be valid for 14 days where the truck drivers will be required to renew by undergoing another coronavirus test.
The ministry has also reduced the number of employees at the Mombasa port from the normal 6,200 staff, it employs, to 4,000 as one of the measure to stop the spread of the disease.
