Category: Economy

The Director of Nimule Police Station refuted allegations that regional truck drivers protesting the detention of their impounded food items were beaten and some were arrested.

The Chairman of East and Central Africa Long-Distance Drivers Wednesday morning reiterated their calls on South Sudan’s government to release the impounded maize trucks and the truck drivers to return to Uganda.

The truck drivers yesterday renewed their protest against the move by South Sudan National Bureau to destroy the confiscated food items that it said tested positive for high aflatoxin.

He says, let the food items Juba regarded as unsuitable for human consumption be released to Uganda.

“If this food does not meet the standard of human consumption let the food trucks return back to Uganda that was our request from the beginning instead of holding the trucks for two to three months,

“These vehicles are for business these drivers need to work to keep their families now, they are stuck at one point and there is nothing they can do or work,” lament  Sudi Kauni, the regional truck drivers’ chairperson.

He says the truck drivers have families, but they have been at the border for almost three months now – with some of the beaten or arrested.

“Other drivers are being mistreated other drivers are in prison without being taken to court others are beaten even if in his rights,” Mr. Kauma said.

‘In response, the Director of Nimule Police Station David Kasmiro says no truck driver has been arrested over the toxic food saga.

He says only one Ugandan driver was arrested for not paying some woman’s debt.

“If there was a driver arrested, then they would have been brought to the police station but there are no drivers brought to the police station,

There is one driver arrested who had an issue of debt with a woman and it’s a private matter, Kasmiro said.

A week ago, South Sudan Ambassador to Uganda Simon Juach said authorities in Juba and their Ugandan counterparts were initiating talk to break the impasse.

So far, no meetings between the two governments have been announced.