Governments blamed for truckers’ boycott over South Sudan insecurity
Saturday September 04 2021
More than 5,000 members of the Kenya Transporters Association will continue to boycott South Sudan cargo until their security is assured. PHOTO | FILE
The South Sudan, Uganda and Kenya governments are being blamed for the boycott by truckers at the Nimule-Juba corridor in South Sudan and congestion at the Elegu border crossing.
Omae Nyarandi, the executive secretary of the Northern Corridor Transit and Transport Co-ordination Authority (NCTTA) asked the governments to implement this year’s June Council of Ministers’ resolutions to end insecurity on the corridor.
“Goods not moving to Juba is a big concern to us. In our meeting in Juba in June, we were assured that the government had deployed security and escort trucks along the corridor from Nimule to Juba. It appears this is not working. We are engaging diplomatically between Kenya, Uganda and South Sudan to get them to implement the promises,” said Nyarandi.
Kenya’s Cabinet Secretary for East African Community and Regional Development Adan Mohamed said the crisis is being addressed and that Kenya is in consultation with South Sudan for a long term solution.
"Insecurity is a real problem in South Sudan and when you are affected by an insurgency, there is very little that one can do, but security is being enhanced so that there is free passage of goods to Juba,” said Adan. He said South Sudan was aware of Kenya’s concerns and that the embassy in Juba was working with the government there to address the issue.
However, Dennis Ombok chief executive of the Kenya Transporters Association said more than 5,000 members will continue to boycott South Sudan cargo until their security is assured.
As a result of insecurity and the boycott, traders in South Sudan are incurring losses as their cargo remains uncollected at the port of Mombasa — risking attracting demurrage fees by importers — and others dumped at the Customs yard at the Elegu border.