A truck driver has come out to highlight the challenges he has been facing in the job even as concerns continue to mount over the safety of Kenyan truck drivers operating in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), where transport workers have faced attacks and threats to their lives.

Peter Maina Mwaniki, who has worked in the transport industry for nearly two decades, says the profession comes with demanding schedules, poor road networks, insecurity and difficult encounters with communities along different routes.

He explained during a recent interview that his working schedule is largely unpredictable, with some assignments running from Monday to Monday and others from Monday to Friday.

A truck driver's working hours typically begin at 6am and can extend beyond 6pm depending on the challenges encountered along the way.

"My work goes from Monday to Monday, at times from Monday to Friday. Working hours go from 6 to 6 and beyond at times, depending on the challenges," Mwaniki explained.

One of the areas he identified as particularly difficult is the Wajir-Modogashe route, where drivers contend with rough roads and unreliable mobile network coverage. He said the communication challenges often leave him with a backlog of work-related messages whenever he regains network access.

Road conditions also present another major challenge, with some routes becoming difficult to navigate, especially during the rainy season when sections become impassable. Traffic congestion further complicates journeys, sometimes causing significant delays.

Mwaniki, who was incidentally named the Sportpesa jackpot winner on Saturday, October 30, noted that drivers cannot simply abandon their trucks in isolated areas when darkness sets in, even when faced with difficult road conditions.

"You cannot just leave the vehicle in the bush because it is late. You have to find your way to the nearest town," he said.

Beyond infrastructure, insecurity is another concern Mwaniki flagged during his workflow. He recalled instances where drivers unknowingly enter towns experiencing unrest, only to find themselves confronted by angry residents who begin throwing stones at passing trucks.

"At times you can find there are riots in a certain town without your knowledge. From nowhere, angry locals start stoning your vehicle," he said, adding that escaping such situations is difficult because trucks are too large to turn around easily.

He also raised concerns about attacks involving children in some parts of northern Kenya, saying they sometimes throw stones at vehicles passing through their communities. Seeking assistance from the police can be equally frustrating, particularly when the nearest station is several kilometres away and officers instruct drivers to return to the scene of an attack.

Mwaniki's entry into the transport industry was influenced by financial circumstances after he failed to secure enough money to pursue university education. He subsequently joined his uncle, who was already working in a trucking company, and gradually built a career in the sector.

Over the years, he has transported different categories of goods, including transit cargo, while his current assignments involve delivering equipment for Kenya Power. His experiences offer a glimpse into the difficult conditions drivers endure while keeping goods moving across the country.

Interestingly, Mwaniki's financial fortunes have recently taken a different turn after he emerged as the winner of SportPesa's Ksh102 million jackpot. The windfall marked a significant milestone in his life, although it has not changed his relationship with the profession he has spent years mastering.

Despite the newfound fortune, Mwaniki says he has no immediate plans to hang up his driving boots. He intends to remain behind the wheel for the foreseeable future, explaining that trucking is a profession he understands and has grown comfortable doing over the years.

His experiences come amid growing concerns over the safety of Kenyan truck drivers transporting cargo into the DRC , where attacks and insecurity have disrupted major trade routes.

The Long-Distance Drivers and Conductors Association of Kenya (LoDCA) has previously issued security warnings to drivers and transport companies, urging them to suspend non-essential journeys along affected routes in the DRC following reports of attacks and the killing of Kenyan drivers.

The association has also called for stronger security guarantees before transporters resume normal operations in affected areas.