Eldoret bans trucks from parking in town centre

The Eldoret Municipal Council has banned long distance petrol and cargo trucks from parking in the town and within residential areas for security reasons. The council has taken the move to avert possible disaster because of the highly inflammable cargo the trucks ferry including fuel.

Eldoret Mayor William Rono says the council will arrest truck drivers found packing at the streets and within areas heavily inhabited by people. “We had a problem implementing orders on packing but we are now working with the police and other stakeholders to stop the truck drivers from careless parking,” said Rono. The sentiments were echoed by Town Clerk Stanslus Ondimu.

The council has used Sh4 million to put up a parking bay for the lorries at Maili Nne. The bay has however remained unused for more than four years. The lorries have instead been parking at the town. Rono said they would also work with the pipeline company to ensure the truck drivers comply with the order.

The truck drivers at the pipeline depot in Eldoret had threatened to go on strike over the order but Ondimu addressed them and said they had to comply with the order. “It’s for the safety of all of us,” said Ondimu.

At the same time the government has cautioned long distance truck drivers operating along Eldoret-Nakuru highway to stop being sexually involved with school going girls.

The warning  was issued by a Kesses DO Paul Papa in Uasin Gishu county who expressed concern over the high number of drop-out among school girls at Cheptiret trading centre along the highway.

Papa said the government was contemplating to ban truck drivers plying the route from parking their trucks at trading centres since they have contributed to high drop out rates of girls from schools in the area.