Truck drivers demand to meet government officials

As the strike at Elegu-Nimule Uganda-South Sudan border in Amuru district, entered its day five on Wednesday, the drivers have demanded that the Government of South Sudan (GOSS) meets them over insecurity.

The drivers have also strongly demanded that GOSS should compensate all the families whose people have so far either been killed or sustained bullet injuries or incurred heavy losses as a result of the numerous killings along the Uganda-Nimule-Juba highway till recently.

Jella Adams, the chairman of the trucks drivers in an interview at the border on Wednesday said at least six truck drivers had been kidnapped and killed and about 20 trucks had been ambushed and the drivers injured with multiple bullet wounds since the beginning of this year between the borders of Uganda with South Sudan and Juba capital.

"We are demanding compensation of the deceased families. This compensation can be in the form of taking care of air-lifting cots of the dead colleagues to their countries and covering all burial expenses. Others should be compensated for injuries," said Adams.

 

While addressing the truck drivers on Tuesday evening at the packing yard at the border, the drivers maintained that unless the GOSS officials meet them and assure them (truck drivers) of security and immigration official services and charges along the road to and from Juba, they will not risk plying with the goods to South Sudan.

 "South Sudanese Police and the soldiers at the border and at many security check-points to Juba ask for lots of money from the drivers even after they had been checked and paid at Nimule border-point. If you refuse to pay any amount, they (police or soldiers) will arrest and take to the bush where you could be killed," says Adams.

Godfrey Wandera Ojiambo, the Secretary of the Truck Drivers, added that the GOSS should remove all the road blocks that are along the Nimule-Juba highway to ease movement and security inconveniences and GOSS should respect the East Africa Community relations.

 
The drivers filed and copied their petition letter to the GOSS Deputy Minister for Interior, Riaw Gatlier, the Diplomatic Affairs, Gen. Mangar, the Nimule Revenue Administrator, Maj. Achul, Elegu Immigrations Office, the Interpol Office at Nimule and the Police Officer In-charge of Elegu Police station, Amuru district (Uganda Police Force).

Meanwhile, Adams stated that the GOSS is expected to meet the Truck-Drivers on Thursday at Elegu border to chat a way forward towards the demands as laid by the truck drivers.