Kaya-Oraba border reopens after six years

Kaya Town. (File photo)

Local authorities in Yei River County have said that the Kaya-Oraba border point on the South Sudan-Uganda border has reopened after six years.

This comes as good news to the people in Morobo, Yei, Lainya, and South Sudan at large as goods have started coming in through Uganda.

Morobo County Commissioner Joseph Mawa told Radio Tamazuj Monday that heavy goods trucks and other traffic have resumed along the road but that the Uganda government has suspended the movement of fuel tankers along the corridor. 

“What we know is that the flow of fuel through kaya has been suspended by the Ugandan government but we are still working hard with my counterparts so that fuel supply comes via kaya,” he revealed. 

Boboya Peter, a motorcycle taxi (boda-boda) rider expressed joy upon hearing the resumption of traffic through Kaya border point and said fuel was always in short supply because it used to come from Juba through Yei. 

I am so happy because the road has been closed for six years. Supply of fuel used to be delayed but now that the Ugandan government has reopened the Oraba border, there will be no delays in fuel supply and other services,” he said. 

Meanwhile, Luate Justin, the chairperson of the chamber of commerce in Yei, said traders used to transport their goods through Nimule to Juba and then to Yei which is expensive. 

“I think it is a big news. Previously, people used to bring their goods through the Nimule border due to the closure of the Oraba-Kaya border due to reasons well known to the Government of Uganda,” he said. “One of the reasons might have been due to the smuggling of goods at the border and that is why they stopped goods from being imported through Oraba into South Sudan.”

“I think it is very good news because if you are transporting your goods from Kampala through Oraba into South Sudan, it will be a short distance and you will encounter few checkpoints which means reduced costs,” Luate added.

He urged local traders to use the border productively to benefit their businesses and serve the people. 

“To the traders, I would say let them maximally use the border since it reopened. Let them use it to the benefit of their businesses and that of the citizens in Yei and Central Equatoria at large,” he advised. “Also, some neighboring counties like Maridi, in case the road is reopened, and Morobo and Lainya will benefit a lot from the reopening of the border.”

The Oraba-kaya border used to be the busiest in Central Equatoria State but slowed down due to the outbreak of the conflict in South Sudan.

Due to increased smuggling of goods back to Uganda, the Government of Uganda suspended the flow of goods, particularly fuel, into South Sudan via the border.