South Sudan speaker apologizes over delayed payment of Ugandan traders

Kampala, Uganda | THE INDEPENDENT | Anthony L. Makana, the Speaker of the South Sudan Transitional National Assembly has apologized over his government’s failure to compensate Ugandan traders for goods and services supplied.

Makana issued the apology while hosting a select committee of Ugandans legislators on South Sudan led by Ann Maria Nankabirwa, the Kyankwanzi Woman MP on Tuesday. The Committee is scrutinizing the payment of Shillings 41 billion (US$10m) to 10 companies, which supplied goods and services to South Sudan before the country went to war.

The select committee is in Juba to meeting South Sudan government officials over the compensation of Ugandan traders. During the meeting on Tuesday, Makana noted that they had taken long to pay Ugandan suppliers, but blamed it on the instability resulting from the war that broke out in 2013.

Makana said as MPs they will do their best to support financing towards the payment of the Ugandan traders.

Makana asked the select committee to push the South Sudan executive to start considering payment for the Ugandan traders in their budget for the forthcoming financial year so that they don’t have to wait for long.

On her part, Nankabirwa told Makana that they were in the country to verify the validity of the claimants. She said they are hoping for cooperation for the South Sudan Government just to verify the claimants.

Mathias Mpuuga, the Masaka Municipality MP, said although Uganda wants to pay the claimants, South Sudan hasn’t confirmed the claimants. Mpuuga says the South Sudan Government needs to set up a committee to work with Uganda to address the problem.

10 companies have been earmarked for compensation under the 2010 Memorandum of Understanding between Uganda and South Sudan. They include Rubya Investments, Kibungo Enterprises, Aponye (U) Limited, Afro Kai Ltd, Swift Commodities Establishment Ltd, Sunrise Commodities, Ms Sophie Omari, Apo General Agencies, Ropani International and K.K Transporters.

However, some companies that were validated missed out on the list of payment. They include Roko Construction Company, Ake-jo General enterprise, JB Traders, Odyek Ejang Company, Dott Services, Gunya Company limited, Premier company and MFK company among others.

According to the agreement, the compensation by Government of Uganda will be a loan that will be reimbursed by the South Sudan Government

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