Qatar Returns 75 Tanzanian Drivers Over Capacity to Operate High Tech Trucks

• Qatar has returned 75 Tanzanian truck drivers after they were found unable to operate modern, digitally integrated trucks used in the country’s transport sector
• The drivers, although trained in Tanzania, were unfamiliar with the advanced features such as touchscreen controls, GPS navigation, and automated systems found in the latest Volvo truck models
• Tanzania’s Foreign Affairs Minister, Mahmoud Thabit Kombo, acknowledged the skills gap and announced plans to procure a modern truck for training purposes at the National Institute of Transport (NIT)

Elijah Ntongai, a journalist at TUKO.co.ke, has over four years of financial, business, and technology research and reporting experience, providing insights into Kenyan and global trends.

Qatar has repatriated 75 Tanzanian truck drivers after determining that they lacked the necessary skills to operate the nation’s advanced, digitally integrated fleet of trucks.

The drivers, part of a bilateral employment arrangement between Tanzania and Qatar, were recruited earlier this year to fill positions in Qatar’s booming logistics and transport sector.

However, upon arrival, the Tanzanian recruits struggled to adapt to the highly automated systems found in modern heavy-duty trucks, particularly the latest Volvo models equipped with digital dashboards, GPS-based navigation, and touchscreen controls.

According to the Tanzania Times, Tanzania’s Minister for Foreign Affairs and East African Cooperation, Mahmoud Thabit Kombo, explained that the drivers were overwhelmed by the sophisticated technology in the vehicles.

"They were trained to drive basic manual trucks in Tanzania. The level of digital automation they encountered in Qatar was beyond anything they had previously experienced," Kombo said during a press briefing in Dar es Salaam.

Despite undergoing refresher training at Tanzania's National Institute of Transport (NIT) before deployment, the drivers reportedly lacked adequate digital literacy and familiarity with the user interfaces of the trucks.

How many jobs did Qatar announce?

Qatar had initially announced more than 800 openings for international truck drivers in 2024, with over 300 slots specifically allocated to Tanzanian applicants.

The failure of the first batch has cast uncertainty over future hiring plans.

Tanzania’s ambassador to Qatar, Habibu Awesi Mohamed, and senior officials from Qatari transport firm Mowasalat, Karwa, had coordinated the recruitment process, which included interviews and road tests.

Although they passed the practical tests in Tanzania, it became evident on the ground in Doha that exposure to analogue systems at home had not prepared the drivers for the digital transition.

In response to the setback, the Tanzanian government has pledged to modernise its vocational training programmes.

Minister Kombo confirmed that the government is in talks to acquire a prototype high-tech truck from Qatar for training purposes at NIT.

"If we expect our workers to compete globally, they must be trained to handle global standards. This incident is unfortunate but instructive," Kombo stated.

Despite the setback, Qatari officials have not ruled out future collaborations. A delegation from Qatar is still expected to visit Tanzania later this year to assess improvements in training and discuss revised recruitment criteria.

As demand for skilled international labour continues to grow in the Gulf, African governments face mounting pressure to bridge the digital gap and ensure their citizens are not left behind in the race for global employment opportunities.

Kenyans deported from Qatar

In other news, several Kenyan newspapers on April 30, 2025, reported on the deportation of Kenyans from Qatar after being promised jobs by the government.

The Ministry of Labour, under CS Alfred Mutua, had in December 2024 recruited about 200 jobless Kenyans for police positions in Qatar, charging each KSh 250,000 plus KSh 10,000 for medical screening.

However, upon arrival in Qatar, the candidates were deported after it was discovered that their medical reports had been doctored.

Proofreading by Jackson Otukho, copy editor at TUKO.co.ke.

Source: TUKO.co.ke