By Taban Gabriel
Following a cross-border meeting held between the 28th and 30th of October 2024 in the border town of Kaya, officials from the Central Equatoria State government and Ugandan administrators from West Nile Region have struck a deal to reopen the Oraba-Kaya border crossing point to “streamline” the movement of goods and services
The meeting focused on “revitalizing the International trade operation” and lifting restrictions posed on the movement of goods and services along the border point.
Some of the measures agreed upon by the two regional officials include a “total” ban on selling fuels in jerricans along the South Sudan border towns while Ugandan authorities conferred the responsibility to “continuously” enforce patrol along the border to curb “illicit trade” and give a weekly report to the counterpart in South Sudan
The agreement further permits Morobo County to submit a list of registered companies eligible for the transportation of goods and services along the border crossing
Nevertheless, the officials agreed that seals on cargo crossing into South Sudan should not be broken, except in “suspected cases” and after consultation between officials of revenue authorities from both countries.
Both government’s representatives agreed to discourage the “smuggling” of goods between the Oraba and Kaya border crossing while mandating the Resident District Commissioner (RDC) of Koboko in Uganda, Emi Mitale, and the County Commissioner of Morobo in South Sudan, Charles Data Bullen, to monitor the activities at the border points.
Speaking to the media after briefing the governor of Central Equatoria State, Agustino Jaddalla Wani, the Central Equatoria State Minister of Trade and Industry, Tom Sebit Michael Simon, described the meeting as “fruitful”
“So, this is the understanding that we have reached and is what I have read publicly. Our going was very, very fruitful, and the discussions were so good, and the Ugandan authorities was very happy, and also we are also happy that the road, now the restricted goods between Kaya, Oraba and between Afoji-Kajokeji are now allowed to move. So, that services are provided to our people,” Tom said.
Minister Tom expounded on the importance of opening the Yei-Kaya Road border crossing and called for its renovation
“The road is in bad shape. There are a lot of potholes on the road. We are urging because I know this road is not our responsibility as a State because it’s a trunk road that connects two countries, Uganda and South Sudan, and you know it’s the responsibility of the national government. You know it’s a plea from the people of Central Equatoria State, particularly Morobo County, Yei County, and Lanya, crying that if the national government could at least, even if not tarmacking the road, please make it a maram, correcting some of those potholes that are on the road, this could really help” he reiterated
The Kaya-Oraba entry point was one of the busiest border crossings after Nimule before the 2016 war that engulfed the country and turned it into a Ghost town while the majority of the residents took refuge in Uganda and Congo.