Ugandan traders warned against travelling to some areas of South Sudan

Foreign Affairs State minister Henry Oryem-Okello (kfm.co.ug)

By Shabibah Nakirijja

The fate of three Ugandans abducted by unidentified militants in Yei River state in South Sudan remains unknown more than two days into the ordeal.

Foreign Affairs State Minister Okello Oryem tells KFM that Ugandans have been warned against traveling to parts of South Sudan but remain adamant.

Oryem added that right now, nothing can be done by the Ugandan embassy apart from liaising with the South Sudan security to see how to protect and rescue them.

He says Uganda’s security agency in Juba has to wait for South Sudan to verify the information about the identities of the abducted Ugandans and then proceed with the rescue process.

However, currently, there is no official government policy banning Ugandans from traveling to any part of South Sudan.

The incident involving traders who mainly deal in timber from Mukaya camp, Lainya County in Southwest of South Sudan is the latest highlight of the trouble business people and other individuals from the region go through due to the security crisis in South Sudan.

Alex Muwanguzi, the chairperson of Ugandans living in Yei, in an interview with a local publication, earlier expressed worry about the unfolding situation saying they had contacted authorities in Kampala with the hope that they will work with their counterparts in Juba to resolve the situation.