Professional Drivers Union of Malawi (Produm) has announced plans to ground their vehicles on September 19 this year to push government to implement a salary adjustment and honour its pledge to improve their welfare.

Produm secretary general Mphatso Mollen confirmed about the strike yesterday and said they feel downing their tools is the best way to force the government to address outstanding grievances.

He said between November 9 2020 and July 7 2022, they have held 10 meetings with the government, but failed to yield results.

Truck operators in Blantyre

Said Mollen: “The aim of the meetings was not to find a solution to drivers’ grievances, but to defuse drivers’ strike. For example, the meeting of 23rd April 2021 was called 72 hours before the day of the strike and the meeting of July 14 2021 occurred on the day of the strike.

“We also believe that the meeting on 15th March 2022 was called to avoid planned industrial action slated for 21st March 2022. During those meetings, we agreed to finalise all grievances but up to now nothing tangible has happened.”

He warned that this time no one will stop them until the government honours what it pledged.

“This time we will not be cheated. There will be no trucks on the roads of Malawi. We have met with everyone involved in the transportation sector.

“We even wrote to the President [Lazarus Chakwera] in January this year but we are yet to get the response. Maybe the President is the only person we can accept to talk to us as it stands.”

On July 27 2022, Produm wrote the Ministry of Transport and Public Works, reminding them about the grievances, but on August 1 2022, the ministry wrote back, saying the drivers’ concerns are still under scrutiny by other relevant ministries.

Fuel Transporters Association of Malawi secretary general Mwiza Chawinga yesterday said as tanker owners, they understand the economic impact of the strike on their businesses but said drivers have the right to stage an industrial action.

Efforts to speak to the Ministry of Transport and Public Works proved futile as authorities kept on pushing us from one office to the other.

But economic governance expert Milward Tobias yesterday said it is high time all concerned stakeholders found a permanent solution to the truck drivers’ grievances, saying the drivers’ concerns are valid.

He feared that if the drivers’ industrial strike goes on, it will further worsen the country’s already ailing economy which is facing fuel, energy and foreign exchange shortages.

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