A family in Malava, Busia County, is mourning the death of their son, Edwin Njuguna Ngugi, a truck driver who was killed in Bunia, eastern Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC). Edwin had been driving a truck from Mombasa to Bunia, a journey of more than 1,600 kilometres, when his vehicle broke down in a volatile area. His family only learned of his death through images shared in a WhatsApp group of fellow drivers, nearly ten days after his last call home.
On April 2, Edwin phoned his mother, Rose Ngugi, to say his truck had broken down in a dangerous location. “I started talking to him on the 2nd and he was complaining that his truck had broken down and that he feared he might be in danger,” she said. In his final call to a cousin in Mombasa, Edwin described being threatened by armed men and relying on Congolese soldiers for protection. He explained that his trailer had broken down and he was waiting for another vehicle to transfer the cargo. He said armed men had approached with machetes, attempting to rob him, but soldiers intervened. It is alleged that those soldiers later took money from him and abandoned him. Edwin was attacked and killed, and his truck looted.
Days later, fellow Kenyan drivers discovered his decomposing body. They shared images in a WhatsApp group to confirm his identity. That is how his family learned of his death, through social media rather than official communication. His remains are currently at Bunia Main Hospital, while the truck remains at the scene. The family says they cannot afford to travel to Congo to retrieve the body and are appealing for government assistance.
Edwin’s death is part of a wider pattern of insecurity in eastern DRC. According to Reuters Africa, Bunia and surrounding areas remain volatile, with truck drivers and traders frequently targeted by armed groups. The Ituri and North Kivu provinces have long been plagued by militia activity, despite the presence of United Nations peacekeepers. BBC Africa reported in 2025 that Kenyan and Ugandan drivers transporting goods into Congo often face harassment, theft, and abductions. The report noted that drivers are vulnerable when trucks break down on remote roads, where armed groups operate with little resistance. Al Jazeera Africa has also documented similar cases, describing eastern Congo’s trade routes as among the most dangerous for cross‑border workers. Migrant drivers from Kenya, Uganda, and Tanzania have been killed or abducted in recent years, with families back home left devastated.
For Edwin’s family, the pain is compounded by the way they learned of his death. His mother says the family has been left in anguish, unable to afford the costs of repatriating his body. “We cannot manage to travel to Congo. We need help to bring our son home,” she said. The family is appealing to the Kenyan government to intervene.
Kenyan authorities have yet to issue a formal statement on Edwin’s death. However, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs has previously acknowledged the risks faced by Kenyan drivers in eastern Congo. In 2024, the ministry warned transport companies to take precautions when sending drivers into conflict zones. The East African Community (EAC) has also raised concerns about insecurity along trade routes. In a 2025 communiqué, the EAC called for stronger regional cooperation to protect cross‑border workers.
Edwin’s case reflects the vulnerability of migrant workers engaged in cross‑border trade. Truck drivers are essential to regional commerce, transporting goods across thousands of kilometres, yet they often operate without adequate protection. The tragedy also highlights the reliance of families on informal networks for information. In Edwin’s case, it was fellow drivers who discovered his body and shared images online. Families are left to piece together events through social media, WhatsApp groups, and word of mouth, rather than official communication.
This is not the first time Kenyan drivers have been killed in Congo. In 2023, two drivers were abducted near Goma and later found dead. In 2024, Ugandan drivers reported multiple attacks along the Kasindi‑Beni road. According to VOA Africa, truck drivers in the region often pay bribes to armed groups or soldiers to secure passage. Some are forced to abandon cargo when roads become impassable due to insecurity.
Civil society groups have called for stronger protections for migrant workers. The Kenya Transporters Association has urged the government to negotiate with Congolese authorities to ensure safe passage for drivers. Human rights organizations say Edwin’s death underscores the need for accountability. “Truck drivers are being killed, and families are left without answers. Governments must act,” said a statement from a Nairobi‑based NGO.
Edwin Njuguna Ngugi’s death is a reminder of the dangers faced by cross‑border drivers in eastern Congo. His family’s anguish, compounded by the way they learned of his death, reflects the human cost of insecurity in Africa’s trade corridors. As his body lies in Bunia Main Hospital, his family waits for help to bring him home. For them, and for many others, the call is clear: governments must do more to protect migrant workers who risk their lives to keep trade moving across the region.
