Truck drivers protest killings along Nimule Juba road

Over 100 truck drivers from the East African region have parked their vehicles at the Uganda border at Elegu in protest against increasing insecurity and attacks during which many have lost their lives.

On Monday morning, many drivers started parking on the Ugandan side of the border as they called on the government of South Sudan to urgently address the issue of militants who continuously attack their vehicles and kill them, especially along the Nimule Juba road. 

The decision followed an attack on two Kenyan drivers at about 6pm on Sunday. 

They were shot dead by unknown gunmen and several others escaped with injuries. 

Those who survived the attack included many Ugandans who told colleagues that they were whipped by the men who laid an ambush on them at a place called Juba Academy just before Nestu along the Nimule Juba road. 

The drivers said the men frogged them and robbed them of cash and personal belongings including mobile phones. 

They identified the killed Kenyan drivers as Issa Salat who was driving truck number KBN 363L and Haruna Abdullah Ore driving KCF 351M. 

They said the bodies were still at the scene by Monday morning. 

One of the drivers was shot and killed from inside the vehicle while another body was lying in a pool of blood in the open, indicating that he was probably fleeing for dear life. 

Asadu Ssentongo, the chairperson Ugandan long route drivers and William Busuulwa said because of the frustration the drivers had decided to park their vehicles. 

Ssentongo said their leaders were only allowing fresh food suppliers to cross the border. 

They sent messages on their networks asking everyone to park wherever they may be to avoid congesting Elegu border. 

Busuulwa said among other issues the drivers were demanding that South Sudan allows UPDF soldiers to escort their convoys if they still want them to transport goods to Juba. 

They want reliable escorts at least up to Torit in Eastern Equatoria Province. 

They also want the government of South Sudan to compensate the drivers who have been previously killed in similar ways. 

On August 17, militants waylaid another convoy along Nimule Juba road and killed five people including two Ugandans and two Catholic nuns. 

The dead included Sister Mary Aboud, Sister Regina, one identified as Leon who was said to have been burnt to ashes in the vehicle and a bodaboda rider who was killed by a fleeing truck. 

'Enough is enough, we shall not accept to continue losing life,' one of the drivers said in a whatsapp post. 

They were joined by drivers from Somalia and Eritrea. Others are from Uganda, Kenya, Burundi and DR Congo.