A large number of truck drivers protested what they described as extortion by South Sudanese government immigration and security officials earlier this week. There was drama at the Elegu border post in Elegu Town Council, Amuru District which paralyzed operations in Uganda
Revenue Authority’s clearance unit for nearly two hours, according to eyewitnesses.
It is alleged that traffic police have hiked the fee from 15,000 to 28,000 pounds since last week. Security personnel instructed the truckers to evacuate the area for other travelers, but this led to a confrontation between them and the security personnel.
One of the Kampala-bound truck drivers headed for Juba, claimed the decision to organize a strike was made as a result of an increase in the number of arrests and incidents of attacks and killings of truck drivers who refused to pay bribes inside South Sudan. An eyewitness reported that after the Ugandan police fired tear gas at them, only about 150 out of 300 vehicles crossed the Nimule side.
We are yet to get comments on the matter from the South Sudan police but locals fear trade
disruptions and increased market prices throughout the nation considering being a landlocked country means South Sudan almost entirely depends on imports of most products including food.