Malawi trucks under military escort in MOZ

Following increased attacks on Malawian trucks along the Beira route, the Mozambique Government has now started providing military escort to vehicles driving through the red zone.

Within the past week, five Malawian vehicles comprising three loaded fuel tankers and two private cargo trucks have been set on fire by alleged rebels in the neighbouring country.

This follows the intensification of clashes between Mozambique’s government Frelimo soldiers and opposition Renamo militias over the 2014 elections which the later claims to have won.

Essentially, some Malawian trucks heading to Beira had already started returning home or just parked at Mwanza Boarder because of the situation.

Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation spokesperson Rejoice Shumba said yesterday the provision of the mandatory escort to Malawian trucks to and from Berira followed a request government made to its Mozambican counterpart.

Mwanza Immigration spokesperson Pasqually Zulu also confirmed in an interview that trucks were now crossing the border to and from Beira because of  military escort.

Chairperson of Transporters Association 2016 Malawi Sameer Sulemani said the military is escorting trucks from Beira to Changala and vice-versa.

Beira and Changala is the deadliest stretch along the Tete-Beira Highway that embrace Catandica, Vanduzi and Gologosa Mountain where the burning of trucks have been taking place.

The Nation has also seen information sent to transporters advising them that due to the attacks, all trucks passing between Vanduzi and Catandica must wait for military escort to cross the zone as such there may be delays on the transit time from Beira to Zobue/Massano Border.

The information says the escort is extending to more than 200 trucks per go. n