By Yiep Joseph
The South Sudan Revenue Authority (SSRA) has announced plans to engage concerned institutions to renovate the Juba-Nimule Highway.
This followed a two-week strike by regional long-distance truck drivers over insecurity, illegal checkpoints, poor roads, and extortion.
The strike, which involved drivers from Kenya, Uganda, and Somalia, disrupted cargo movement into South Sudan and caused delays in the delivery of essential goods.
Truckers suspended operations, citing worsening security conditions, poor roads, and multiple unofficial charges imposed along the route.
In response, a high-level government delegation led by the Deputy Commissioner General of the South Sudan Revenue Authority (SSRA), Solomon Ariik Manyok, travelled to Nimule to engage the drivers in negotiations.
According to a statement from the SSRA, both parties reached an agreement that led to the suspension of the strike and the resumption of cargo transport.
The agreement includes a government commitment to renovate the Juba-Nimule Highway and remove unnecessary checkpoints in Juba City, Bor, and along the Bahr el Ghazal roads, which drivers alleged were being used for extortion.
โIn addition, the government pledged to engage the concerned ministries on the renovation of the JubaโNimule Highway and removing unnecessary checkpoints within Juba City, Bor, and Bahr el Ghazal roads allegedly used for extorting money from drivers,” the statement partly read.
The government also pledged to eliminate illegal charges, including unauthorised immigration fees, CID charges, and checkpoint collections at Nimule, Jebel, Aru Junction, Nesitu, and the Juba Bridge. The controversial SSP 90,000 stamp duty fee at exit gates was also scrapped.
Speaking after the signing ceremony, Mr. Ariik said the government would fully implement the agreement.
โWe are committed to everything that has been signed today. We are going to deliver and do our best. This agreement means a lot to us, and the strike has come to an end,โ he said.
He added that implementation would be closely monitored through a joint committee, which will conduct quarterly reviews or monthly assessments where necessary.
An ad hoc task force has been established to oversee compliance and ensure that only legally approved taxes and duties are collected along the highway.
Long Distance Drivers Union chairperson Sudi Kauli Mwatela said truck operations would resume once logistical arrangements were completed.
โWhat we want to see is implementation and protection of our drivers because security is in the hands of the South Sudan authorities,โ he said.
The Juba-Nimule Highway is a critical trade route linking South Sudan to Uganda and the wider East African region and has long faced challenges, including insecurity, road deterioration, and informal taxation.