Truckers satisfied with working arrangement with port management

Truck driver Bramwel Wanjala and KLDTDAWU national chair Roman Waema at Miritini on Wednesday / BRIAN OTIENO

More than 5,000 truck drivers using the Mombasa port have said congestion at the facility is now easing rapidly.

Kenya Long Distance Truck Drivers and Allied Workers Union (KLDTDAWU) national chairman and Mombasa branch secretary Roman Waema on Wednesday attributed the improvement to strong cooperation between the drivers and port management.

KLDTDAWU has over 5,000 members, most of whom are now satisfied with the turnaround time at the Port of Mombasa.

Waema said effective collaboration between truck drivers and Kenya Ports Authority (KPA) officers has benefited both the authority and the transporters.

This, he said, is despite the many challenges they have had to overcome in the course of their work.

“There are always challenges in life. It is how you work to surmount these challenges that matters. And we have been able to overcome many challenges through the cooperation we have with the Mombasa port and the port management,” Waema said.

The KLDTDAWU national chair said many of their concerns have been addressed by port management due to mutual respect and recognition of their shared goal of ensuring the smooth flow of cargo from source to destination.

“For instance, when President Ruto returned all port services to Mombasa after they had initially been taken to Naivasha, there was suddenly a huge workload as more cargo had to be evacuated from the Mombasa port.

“We had a terribly busy time on that occasion. Drivers did not see their families for weeks. But we took it in stride because we understood our common goal,” Waema said.

He said most KLDTDAWU members agree that while there are challenges at the port, they consider them normal for a facility of its size and capacity.

“That is why we are confident in the work that Captain William Ruto is doing at the port, as we have seen the benefits his leadership has brought to us, to Mombasa, and to the nation,” Waema said.

He added that the Mombasa port remains among the leading ports globally despite experiencing congestion recently.

“That is why we say the work one does must count for something in the end. We are all biased by nature, but let our biases not cloud our judgment,” Waema said.

He was referring to calls by some Coastal leaders for Captain Ruto to be replaced by a local as he nears the end of his term.

Some political leaders have urged President Ruto not to renew his three-year term, which ends in less than a month, and instead appoint someone from the Coast region.

“Let us look at what is being done and what has been achieved. Let us all be patriotic and not focus on where someone comes from,” Waema said.

He added that there have been no disruptions over the past three years, with workers feeling appreciated and well taken care of, unlike in the past when strikes and go-slows negatively affected performance.

The Kenya Ports Authority has also received international recognition for its environmental conservation efforts at the Mombasa port, winning the 2025 International Association of Ports and Harbours (IAPH) Sustainability Award in the Environmental Care category.

The “Mangrove Restoration for Ocean Protection and Increased Forest Cover” project won top honours at the IAPH World Ports Conference 2025 in Kobe, Japan, outperforming 500 other global submissions.

Since 2023, KPA has collaborated with local communities, including the Pongwe-Kidimu Community Forest Association, to rehabilitate degraded mangrove ecosystems.

The initiative has led to the planting of more than 10,000 mangroves, with an 80 per cent survival rate in Pongwe-Kidimu, Kwale County.

The restoration has contributed to a healthier marine ecosystem, including a 19 per cent increase in prawns and an 18 per cent increase in lobsters, boosting local livelihoods.

According to KPA, the award aligns with its broader long-term strategy to integrate environmental, social, and corporate governance (ESG) principles into port operations, reduce carbon emissions, and protect marine biodiversity.

The port is also implementing solar energy solutions generating over 750 kWh, utilising 18 hybrid rubber-tyred gantry (RTG) cranes, and piloting shore power for ships to reduce emissions.

The IAPH accolade marked the second time KPA has been honoured by the organisation, following a 2019 win for its ‘Tunahusika’ Corporate Social Investment project.

Bramwel Wanjala, a relief driver mostly stationed at the Mombasa port, said management has improved its relationship with workers and stakeholders, leading to better performance.

“Stability has been achieved at the port, and this has led to even potential crises being so well managed that they are almost unnoticeable,” Wanjala said.

He, however, called on the KPA managing director to act on a pledge to provide truckers with proper parking facilities.

He noted an increase in cases of parts being stolen from trucks parked outside the port.

“If we could find a better parking zone as promised, it would be better for us,” he said.