Dozens of Ugandans arrested in South Sudan visa crackdown

Uganda

By Godfrey Olukya

KAMPALA, Uganda (AA) – At least 65 Ugandans have been arrested in South Sudan for not having valid visas, a community representative said on Wednesday.

The Ugandan nationals have been picked up since Monday because they had expired or no visas, according to James Nsereko, a member of the Ugandan community in South Sudan's capital Juba.

The arrests came after South Sudan's government announced on Monday that all foreign nationals must have legal documents to remain in the country.

It also hiked up the visa fee from $50 to $100.

“Immediately after the announcement, the police and military started arresting people who did not have visas or their visas had expired. They have been carrying out raids day and night,” Nsereko told Anadolu Agency.

He said many Ugandans living in South Sudan are employed in the informal sector and rarely renew their visas unless they have to go back to Uganda.

“Even then, in most cases, they bribe immigration officers at the border, instead of applying for new visas,” he explained.

He said there are no official figures on how many Ugandans live in Juba or South Sudan but “the number is in the thousands.”

Nsereko said a group of Ugandans staged a protest outside Uganda's Embassy in Juba on Tuesday against the increase in visa fees and the arrests of their compatriots.

He said embassy officials have promised to address their complaints but “there have been no developments so far.”

William Edimu, a Ugandan immigration officer at the border with South Sudan, said officials are trying to engage with their counterparts in Juba about the situation.

“All we know is that the East African Community countries agreed that visa charges should be $50. South Sudan is a member of this bloc, so we are all wondering why it is charging $100?” he said.