1,400 trucks cleared for travel to South Sudan

Amuru, Uganda | THE INDEPENDENT |  At least 1,400 trucks have left Elegu town council in Amuru district for South Sudan in the past two days.   

Jimmy Patrick Okema, the Aswa River Region Police spokesperson told journalists at the Northern Uganda Media Club on Monday that 600 trucks left on Saturday while 800 left on Sunday.

According to Okema, the trucks were cleared for safe travel to, a day after they called off their strike to protest attacks by gunmen in South Sudan.  

The latest attack took place along the Yei-Juba route where 8 Ugandan truck drivers were killed.   

This prompted over 2000 drivers to park their trucks in Elegu Town Council and call for the intervention of the East African Community to end the attacks.

On Friday, delegates from the East African Community met in Elegu town council and resolved to resume travel to South Sudan.    

Geoffrey Orsbon Ocheng, the Amuru District Resident District Commissioner, says all illegal roadblocks in South Sudan have been removed and the extra levies imposed on the truckers stopped. 

“The trucks are still packed 15 kilometers from Biabia trading centre to Elegu border point but we expect a normal flow of trucks now that many have been cleared to leave” Ocheng said.

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