Disruption of Uganda-South Sudan road a disaster for tax revenue: officials

November 11, 2013 (JUBA) – South Sudan officials say the partial closure of highway connecting Uganda with South Sudan is “a disaster for the economy” following a tour of the damaged portion of the road on Friday.

Traders move their cattle through Nimule on 3 November 2013 after crossing into South Sudan from Elegu, Uganda (ST)

"The traffic has become very, very low and vehicles got stuck and there is a lot of water, potholes in that area and the situation of the road is not good,” Lt. Col. Emmanuel Guya Simon, the head of customs at Nimule station said.

The road between Uganda towns’ of Bibia and Elegu was submerged by floods in October, the fifth time this year, leaving thousands of trucks loaded with commercial goods destined for South Sudan stranded.

Witnesses say a queue of trucks have covered a distance of 30 kilometers from Elegu near Nimule towards Atiak, a town on the highway to Gulu in Uganda.

"It is really a very big blow. This month of November, we shall have very minimum collection of revenue and this shall affect us as a government in terms of revenue [collection]," Guya added in a press address.

Undersecretary of commerce and trade in South Sudan’s ministry of finance, Simon Nyang Anei, said Friday that he had to visit the area to witness the situation.

Customs officials say less than ten trucks a say are currently entering South Sudan through Nimule, compared to more than 200 “when the traffic is normal.”

"This is a disaster for us concerning the revenue," said Simon Nyang Anei, the undersecretary for commerce at the ministry of finance.

"We advised traders to take the route through Kaya because this is going to take three to four weeks to repair,” Anei added.

A man washes his chickens on roadside in Nimule after crossing with them in muddy water from Elegu, Uganda. 8 November 2013 (ST)

Traders importing cows, goats and chickens have move on foot with their animals to Nimule, where they have taken another truck to connect to Juba.

South Sudan relies largely on imports for its food, fuels and building material. Officials estimate that 80% of all imports to South Sudan pass through Nimule, the only paved road connecting Uganda to the capital Juba.

(ST)