By YVONNE CHATE –

THE Congolese government has assured Zambian truckers of maximum security and freedom of movement, while on their business errands in that country.
This follows complaints of harassment and insecurity of foreign truckers by the Southern African Development Community-SADC Truck Association of Zambia (SATDAZ) through Zambian, Zimbabwean and South African consul generals in Lubumbashi.
Congolese interior minister Junenial Lugoma said police had been instructed to reduce check points between Kasumbalesa and Lubumbashi to ease the movement of foreign truckers in Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC).
Mr Lugoma was speaking at a meeting with truck drivers, consul generals and Congolese government officials at the Kasumbalesa border on Monday.
He said his government would also put up sanitation facilities between Kasumbalesa and Lubumbashi as truckers had in the past complained of challenges in this area.
“We will ensure that we put up quality public sanitation facilities in all parking places to address the challenges experienced by the truckers,” he said.
During the same event, Zambian Consul-General Davies Sankwana commended the truckers for not engaging in violence but opting to solve their grievances through dialogue.
Meanwhile, SATDAZ president Stanley Muluka thanked the Congolese government for addressing the concerns of the truckers in time before the situation got out of hand.
He urged the government officials to continue meeting with the truckers to discuss their plight.
Others who attended the meeting included South African envoy Mandla Rametsi and his Zimbabwean counterpart Misheck Muchetwa.