Government has finally reached an agreement with Professional Drivers Union following demonstrations that truck drivers conducted yesterday Wednesday.
The truck drivers protested on Wednesday due to failure by authorities to address their long-standing concerns regarding poor working conditions.
But speaking to YONECO FM after having a closed door meeting at Capital Hill Lilongwe, Chairman of the Union Major Mkandawire said government has bowed to some of their demands including that of reducing passport fee.
“The things that have been addressed are to do with the cost of passport which they are saying it will be infected by the Immigration Department by August 1, 2021.
“Same as license, it will be open to all the regions where the drivers were taking their categories and on issue of loads they have revised that drivers will be loading frequently,” he said.
Mkandawire added that the Union will continue engaging government towards implementation of issues agreed such that they are acted upon.
“You have seen that our legal counsel accompanied us to this meeting and we are waiting for documents to be signed officially about the agreement we have reached at.
“You remember very well that previously government failed to honour its own agreements and they have all admitted today that they were wrong,” Mkandawire said.
In 2020, the drivers asked government to intervene and engage their employers to hick their salaries from K60, 000 to at least K100, 000 for local transporters and K140, 000 for those who cross the borders.