South Sudan, Ugandan authorities blame border insecurity on multiple citizenship

Authorities from South Sudan and Uganda have blamed the rampant incidences of insecurity along the Kaya border on multiple identification and citizenship within the two countries.

Some of the insecurity cases involve gun robbery, thefts, and burglaries at Koboko town in Uganda and Kaya town in South Sudan. The police have found it difficult to curb the vices because the criminals use the porous borders to sneak out after their mission.

The Executive Director of Morobu County in South Sudan, Mr Bosco Wani, said that the situation needs the collaboration of the two states to curb the vice.

"We have our brothers along these borders who cross to work in South Sudan with Ugandan identity and when they reach there, they claim to be South Sudanese. And when they are caught up with problems, they run back to Uganda that they are Ugandans,” he said.

He said citizens travelling from any of the two countries should be well-identified at the border by the local leaders and be given permits so that it becomes easy to track them.

However, Koboko Resident District Commissioner, Mr Emmy Mitala, observes that the situation is tricky to deal with because of the nature of the location of the district and the numerous porous points.

"We understand that there are people who have two to three identities. One for Uganda, one for South Sudan and one for DR Congo. This makes it tricky for us to implement certain things. And they speak the same language in those three countries,” he said.

Some of the criminal gangs disguise themselves as refugees from South Sudan. According to the Refugee Desk officer of Arua in the Office of the Prime Minister, Mr Solomon Osakan, the practice of dual citizenship is legal according to the laws of Uganda.

"You know people who reside along the borders and have relatives across the other side can do funny things. They can register in Uganda and the other country, so they have dual citizenship. That is why we had requested the government to allow us to run the data of National Identity cards together with the refugee identity cards so that we see who has double registration,” he said.

South Sudan Ambassador to Uganda, Mr Simon Deng, called on South Sudan refugees in Uganda to maintain a harmonious co-existence with Ugandan citizens.

"We are one people who were divided by colonial boundaries. We should not use the boundaries to divide ourselves but rather use them to our advantage," he said.

Incidences

In mid-December last year, residents of Kenyibuli and Delambiance all located along the borders in Koboko District lost animals and food items to a group of organised criminals alleged to be based in South Sudan.

The possibility of compensating the victims continues to hang in balance as South Sudan Authorities claim these were actions of the National Salvation Front (NAS) rebels to tarnish the image of the South Sudan government.