Business at Uganda South Sudan border in Amuru district has been paralyzed after a week-long strike by long distance truck drivers, who have vowed not to move from Uganda until the South Sudan government intervenes.
Over 1,000 trailers laden with food, fuel and other manufactured goods remain grounded at Elegu Parking ground, in Atiak Sub County, few meters from South Sudan border town of Nimule, with drivers saying, they have suspended movement into the volatile country due to persistent insecurity, arbitrary killing, harassment, extortion in duty levy and mistreatment by security personnel inside South Sudan.
A Kenyan driver Jacob Musau, who plies his business with Hassan General Trading Company in Juba said some Lorries have been grounded at Elegu border point since Good Friday.
He said most drivers striking are from Kenya, Somalia and Uganda. Musau says they will not leave the border point unless the government of South Sudan undertakes dramatic measures to guarantee their security.
He claims that they are ambushed and beaten by rebels while some of their colleagues who have no money to give to the rebels are killed.
They say that short of security guarantee, they will be forced to abandon the goods at Elegu, where owners inside South Sudan can be able to collect them.
Located at the extreme north of Uganda, Elegu border point is separated from Nimule border town in South Sudan by narrow Unyama River valley.
Early this week, the striking drivers barricaded the trade route with zigzag parking across its length. They re-opened the route after meeting undisclosed South Sudan government officials who pledged to beef up security.
The drivers however refused to entirely call off their strike saying nothing had changed in their working conditions. On Thursday, Muhammed Ali, a Kenyan driver arrived at Elegu parking ground from South Sudan at about 5pm with gunshot injuries to his right arm and fingers.
Blood spilled onto the right door of his fuel tanker registration number KBJ 262 Z. He appeared visibly in pain despite continuing to drive the lorry with two right fingers bandaged together.
Ali told the press that he was injured by bullets sprayed onto his vehicle from both sides of the highway at a place he could not remember. The vehicle had a bullet hole drilled to its left door, with broken windscreen gathered onto its dashboard.
