Saturday, July 2, 2022
FREIGHT LOGISTICS MAGAZINE
Nairobi Gate Industrial Park
  • Home
  • News
  • Trade
  • Regional
  • Intergration
  • Industry News
  • Business Listing
  • Publications
No Result
View All Result
  • Home
  • News
  • Trade
  • Regional
  • Intergration
  • Industry News
  • Business Listing
  • Publications
No Result
View All Result
FEAFFA
No Result
View All Result
Home Industry News

Transporters want transit drivers listed for Phase 1 COVID-19 vaccination.

TMEA partnered with key agencies, including the Federation of East African Freight Forwarders Associations (FEAFFA), to develop the App to address serious delays at border posts lasting for up to 2 weeks.

April 6, 2021
in Industry News, News
0 0
0
Transporters want transit drivers listed for Phase 1 COVID-19 vaccination.

PHOTO COURTESY

Share on FacebookShare on Twitter

Kenya Transporters Association (KTA) has asked the Ministry of Health to include transit truck drivers in the ongoing first phase of COVID-19 vaccination along teachers, nurses, police and senior citizens among others.

Fast Lane Freight Company Limited

In a statement addressed to the Ministry of Health, the KTA secretariat said that truck drivers owing to their nature of work and movement was a vulnerable group. When the region reported its first cases of COVID-19, truck drivers were super spreaders because of a spike in the numbers among themselves, leading to huge interruption in the cargo movement across the region.

“We appreciate the government’s efforts in ensuring the orderly vaccination of the most vulnerable sections of the society. We also understand that the total population cannot be vaccinated at the same time because of the current limited resources,” the statement said.

It added; “It is our opinion that truck drivers, especially those travelling to other partner states be included in this group of the most exposed individuals to COVID-19 because of their interactions with various groups of people.”

Apart from embracing various protocols by the regional states, East Africa Community (EAC) introduced the Regional Electronic Cargo and Drivers Tracking System (RECDTS) to issue common electronic COVID-19 certificates.

Speaking during the World Trade Organisation Aid for Trade stocktaking conference recently, Mr Alban Odhiambo, the TradeMark East Africa (TMEA) senior director for trade environment, said that at least 72,900 truck drivers across the East Africa region have been registered by the App. The software is available on the Google Play Store and monitoring at least 90 percent of truck drivers across East Africa.

TMEA partnered with key agencies, including the Federation of East African Freight Forwarders Associations (FEAFFA), to develop the App to address serious delays at border posts lasting for up to 2 weeks.

The App was launched in September 2020 by the EAC Secretariat in partnership with TMEA and the European Union, which has been key in the fight against Covid-19, especially among cross border traders.

“Since we launched the App in September 2020, over 72,900 drivers have downloaded it. This represents over 90 percent of cross border trade drivers in the entire EAC,” Mr Odhiambo said, adding that whereas the current App was built in English, there are ongoing efforts to localise it in languages spoken widely in EAC such as French and Swahili, among others.

During the initial days of the COVID-19 pandemic, truck drivers were super spreaders and because of their cross-border movements, they faced many challenges to move around the region since EAC had not adopted common protocols on how to deal with COVID-19 pandemic.

Prior to the roll-out, cross border truck drivers had been spending many days in long queues at border posts, which had disrupted both trade and movement of goods, services and people.

The RECDTS is part of TMEA’s $23m Safe Trade Emergency Facility that seeks to support governments in the region to undertake critical measures along the transport and trade routes.

Mr Frank Matsaert, the TMEA chief executive officer, said because Covid-19 is going to be around for some time, it was important that the region focuses on long-term recovery measures to support trade.

Kenya Transporters Association (KTA) Chief Executive Office Mr Dennis Ombok, in a recent interview said that most of the drivers have now gained smart phones and the system has eased border crossing.

Whereas it took up to 10 days to get tests on manual systems, the COVID-19 tests once carried out allows the driver to continue with the journey and in case the test turns positive, they are quarantined in the next test point.

For any feedback, contacts us viaeditorial@feaffa.com/freightlogistics@feaffa.com/info@feaffa.com; Mobile: +254703971679 / +254733780240
Previous Post

Corridors’ Greenhouse Gas estimation model huge game-changer in reducing emissions.

Next Post

Burundi and Kenya new freight forwarders officials work well cut out.

Next Post
Burundi and Kenya new freight forwarders officials work well cut out.

Burundi and Kenya new freight forwarders officials work well cut out.

Official launch of the iScreen Platform by KENTRADE

Recent Posts

  • The logistics sector rolls out sensitization on AfCFTA in East Africa
  • Uganda to host FIATA-RAME 2023
  • KRA roles out facilitative AEOs programme
  • Reprieve for Uganda’s logistics sector as Tanzania lowers road user fees for cargo trucks.
  • The tracking system registers over 110,000 truck drivers.

Videos

Advertise With Us

Contact editorial@feaffa.com/ info@feaffa.com or Simply Call 0703 971 679
FREIGHT LOGISTICS MAGAZINE

Freight Logistics Magazine is FEAFFA's quarterly publication that provides readers with information on the key industry trends and issues in East Africa.

All images and videos displayed on this website are subject to the owner's copyright and subject to the applicable laws in countries within EAC

The logistics sector rolls out sensitization on AfCFTA in East Africa

Uganda to host FIATA-RAME 2023

KRA roles out facilitative AEOs programme

  • Home
  • Logistics Service Providers
  • Privacy Policy
  • Advertise with Us
  • Contact us

Contact Information

info@feaffa.com
+254 (0)738 150 673
+254 (0)738 165 318
HillCrest Court, Waiyaki Way, Slip Road, Westlands

  • Home
  • Logistics Service Providers
  • Privacy Policy
  • Advertise with Us
  • Contact us

© 2021 FREIGHT LOGISTICS. All rights reserved by FEAFFA.

No Result
View All Result

© 2021 FREIGHT LOGISTICS. All rights reserved by FEAFFA.

Login to your account below

Forgotten Password?

Fill the forms bellow to register

All fields are required. Log In

Retrieve your password

Please enter your username or email address to reset your password.

Log In