Gov't lifts night travel ban for cargo hauliers in Lamu County

The Kenyan government has lifted the night travel ban for cargo transport in Lamu County.

The ban has been effective since 2014 when the government declared that cargo hauliers plying the Lamu-Witu-Garsen route only travel by day.

A series of terror attacks in the region that posed a great security threat occasioned the ban.

The ban also affected public transport later on as the government consequently also ordered the Public Service Vehicles to operate only during the day and at designated times.

PSVs also operated in convoys that had to be escorted by armed police officers.

John Elungata, the Coast Region Commissioner, announced the lift of the ban on cargo hauling last weekend and cited improved security as the reason for lifting the ban.

“The ban on night travel for cargo operators is officially lifted right from now due to the fact that security here has greatly improved,” Elungata said.

However, the vacation of the night travel only applied to vehicles transporting goods such as food, farm produce, building materials and other goods.

Elungata said he would also lobby in the County Security Committee to have the night travel ban of PSVs to be lifted as the ban still remains in effect at the moment.

“I will also engage the county security committee on whether PSVs can also be allowed to operate at night. I urge you to give me two weeks before I issue directions on the matter,” he said.

Elungata also said the government was keen to ensure a return to normalcy in the region and revealed that there are plans to build two new security roads to improve response time to incidents.

“The national government is keen to ensure that normality returns to Lamu, with steps already underway to build two new security roads that will enhance timely response to any insecurity incidents that are reported here,” he added.

The lift will improve trade for the people of Lamu, especially with the recent launch of the 32-berth deep seaport in Lamu