Three truck drivers arrested for inciting protest at Elegu border

Amuru, Uganda | THE INDEPENDENT | Three cargo truck drivers are in police custody in Amuru district in connection to the protest at the Uganda-South Sudan border town of Elegu. The suspects, a Somali national and two Ugandans were picked up Tuesday afternoon following the chaos that erupted between cargo drivers at the busy Elegu border point.

Hundreds of cargo truck drivers rose up in arms on Monday protesting hiked taxes levied on vehicles and goods entering and exiting the country, extortion by South Sudan authorities, and insecurity along the Nimule-Juba Highway.

The strike that had entered the second day on Tuesday however turned rowdy after drivers delivering perishable goods demanded to cross into South Sudan while their counterparts insisted on maintaining the standoff.

Stephen Odong Latek, the Amuru Resident District Commissioner says the suspects attempted to incite all cargo truck drivers to maintain the strike ignoring the fact that others had perishable goods. He says police had to intervene to quell the standoff between the drivers, which had paralyzed normal business at the busy border point.

Uganda Radio Network established that the suspects are being detained at Elegu police station pending investigations and preference of charges against them by the police.

According to Latek, they have since directed the traffic to resume at the border point into South Sudan arguing that the strike will be voluntary for truckers who intend to remain on the Ugandan side.

He says a Ugandan delegation is set to meet their counterparts from South Sudan’s customs and immigration and security personnel to harmonize on complaints raised by the truck drivers later today (Wednesday).

Truck drivers who spoke to Uganda Radio Network earlier Tuesday said the new taxes introduced by the South Sudan government on trucks carrying goods and road user fees had doubled prompting the strikes.

Hassan Abdi, a trucker from Kenya who had spent a day at Elegu border point following the strike, said he usually spends about US Dollars 150 on security personnel while delivering fuel to Juba.

He said the vice along the Nimule-Juba highway has made transport very expensive and unrealistic for business and called for the intervention of both Ugandan and South Sudan authorities.

Bosco Wali, the Manager of BLD Parking at Elegu Town Council where hundreds of truckers had parked their trucks, said that whereas other truckers had voluntarily left, many were still hesitant to cross to south Sudan.

“The situation has normalized and truck drivers are now crossing into South Sudan. There are however some drivers who have refused to go and want to maintain the strike,” Wali told URN in an interview.

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