Traffic Police-Courtesy panos.co.uk

Truck drivers have accused some police officers of mistreating them and extorting money along the Juba-Nimule highway.

The concern was raised during a meeting between Ugandan and South Sudanese Police senior officials in the border town of Nimule.

The meeting was convened over the weekend after the drivers went on a four-day strike last week, at the Elegu border post, in Amuru district of Uganda.

According to Ugandan media, the drivers are under the East African Drivers Association.

They complained that among other issues, traffic police have mounted several roadblocks along the the highway, forcing them to pay bribes.

Some of them expressed their concerns to the media.

“We want to tell [South] Sudan people that we bring them fuel, food, medicine; we bring them everything but they don’t tell us “Thank you”; they shoot us,” said a driver who requested anonymity.

“If anything happens, I’m supposed to report to the traffic. Am I right? But when I go to a traffic officer, he does not accept me. He does his arm [gestures] to me, “What can I do? …go.” To whom should I report?” Said another driver.

However, the police have denied the accusations. They say the actions are being carried out by criminals in police and traffic uniforms.

“Anyone can have and wear the uniform we have. And he can do anything as he likes on the way,” said Maj-Gen Dominic Malong, Deputy Director of Customs Service.

Authorities from both South Sudan and Uganda have agreed to form a joint unit to regularly patrol the highway between Juba and Nimule.