Originally posted by the Voice of America.
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East African Truckers Pay Bribes for Negative Coronavirus Tests, Official
Says

Peter Clottey

   Long-distance truck drivers are paying bribes to evade coronavirus
   testing at the Uganda-Kenya border, the head of Uganda's Professional
   Drivers Network said.

   Omongo Ndugu, who is also the vice chairperson of the Uganda Long
   Distance and Heavy Truck Drivers Association, said drivers and their
   associates pay bribes of between $14 and $40 to get a certificate
   indicating negative status, or to cross the border without being
   tested.

   Drivers are required to be designated as COVID-19-free before they can
   cross the border into any east African country. COVID-19 is the disease
   caused by the coronavirus.

   In an interview with VOA, Ndugu said drivers sometimes pay the bribes
   to bypass endless backups caused by tough restrictions at the two main
   crossing points, Busia and Malaba.

   "Last week there was a [traffic] jam stretching for over 65 kilometers
   into Kenya and the drivers were left with no option other than to
   respond to brokers who approached them and took bribes. And in a short
   while, they were shocked that they were able to receive negative
   results on their phone," he said.

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