The Ugandan government has started implementing the visa waiver for citizens of South Sudan.

This comes days after the Ugandan government declared to waive visa restrictions on South Sudanese nationals beginning October 1.

“This is therefore to notify you that with effect on 1st October, 2021, citizens of the Republic of South Sudanese will not be required to pay visa entry fee to enter into the republic of Uganda.” Uganda’s ministry of internal affairs said in a statement.

Last week, the government of South Sudan accepted to waive visa fees for eligible Ugandan nationals.

However, the government has not issued a circular on lifting visa restrictions for Ugandan citizens.

According to Ugandan officials South Sudan is required to reciprocate or else Uganda will reinstate the visa restrictions.

The Minister of East Africa Affairs, Rebecca Kadaga, stated that failure by the South Sudan government to respond would lead to cancelation of the visa waiver.

So far, South Sudan has reciprocated the waiving of visa requirements for Kenyans, Rwandans, and Tanzanians.

According to Article 10 of the EAC Common Market Protocol, citizens of EAC Partner States are at liberty to accept employment within the territories of Partner States other than their own.

The East African Community adopted the Common Market Protocol on Free Movement of labor and persons for the citizens of partner States adopted on November 20, 2009.