Multiple truck drivers trapped at the Uganda border in the Democratic Republic of Congo
On March 12, 2025, Uganda's "Alert News" revealed that due to the complex and volatile situation in the Democratic Republic of Congo, vehicles and personnel are currently prohibited from entering and leaving the Kabalaikatuna border in Uganda, causing multiple truck drivers to be unable to smoothly transport goods to the Democratic Republic of Congo and face difficulties.
Since January this year, the security situation in the eastern region of the Democratic Republic of Congo has deteriorated sharply. The anti-government armed group "M23 Movement" launched a fierce offensive in North and South Kivu provinces, escalating conflicts with government forces. Both sides engaged in fierce fighting in the city center and surrounding areas of Goma, with gunfire echoing and smoke filling the air. The local people's lives have been greatly impacted, and they have fled their homes one after another, causing chaos in social order.
In such a chaotic situation, Uganda has taken decisive measures out of consideration for security issues. The relevant border departments have implemented strict traffic control on vehicles, and almost all borders leading to the Democratic Republic of Congo have closed their customs clearance systems. This measure directly resulted in a large number of truck drivers being trapped within Uganda. They used to shoulder the important task of transporting goods, but now they can only be helplessly stranded and unable to move forward.
These trapped truck drivers are facing many severe challenges. They not only have to bear the economic loss risk caused by the inability to deliver goods on time, but also face the dilemma of shortage of daily necessities in the long wait. Trapped at the border for a long time, food and drinking water are gradually depleted, and accommodation conditions are extremely rudimentary. Moreover, the situation in the border areas is uncertain, and they are constantly in a state of anxiety and unease, with enormous mental pressure.
A trapped truck driver helplessly said, "We have been waiting here for many days, hoping that the border can reopen every day and we can deliver the goods. But now there is no news at all, our lives are almost unsustainable, and we don't know when the goods will be delivered. It's really urgent
For Uganda, closing the border clearance system is a last resort, aimed at maximizing the security of its borders and preventing the spread of conflicts. However, this measure has also had a serious impact on bilateral trade and the truck driver community. The government of the Democratic Republic of Congo is busy dealing with the domestic armed conflict, and how to restore normal border traffic and rescue trapped truck drivers has become an urgent problem to be solved. The international community has also paid attention to this incident and called on both sides to resolve the dispute through peaceful negotiations, restore regional stability and normal trade order as soon as possible, so that the trapped truck drivers can get out of their predicament and resume normal work and life as soon as possible.
