Prime
Ugandan traders held hostage in S. Sudan partly to blame - minister
State Minister for Foreign Affairs Henry Okello Oryem. PHOTO/ISAAC KASAMANI
What you need to know:
- The incident involving traders, who mainly deal in timber from Mukaya Camp, Lainya County in Southwest of South Sudan, is the latest highlight in the trouble business people and other individuals from the region go through due to the security crisis in South Sudan.
The fate of three Ugandans abducted by unidentified militants in Yei River State in South Sudan remains unknown more than two days into the ordeal.
Foreign Affairs state minister Henry Okello Oryem in an interview with Monitor yesterday said Ugandans have been warned against travelling to some parts of South Sudan, but remain adamant.
“Ugandans are fully warned of the dangers of traveling in some areas of South Sudan which are unruly and those who take the risk end up in such situations,’’ he said.
Mr Oryem added that the Ugandan embassy would liaise with South Sudan security to see how they [abductees] can protect and rescue them.
“Our security agency at Juba has to wait for South Sudan to verify the information about names and photos of those abducted and then proceed with the rescue process,” he said.
Currently, there is no official government policy banning Ugandans from travelling to any part of South Sudan.
The incident involving traders, who mainly deal in timber from Mukaya Camp, Lainya County in Southwest of South Sudan, is the latest highlight in the trouble business people and other individuals from the region go through due to the security crisis in South Sudan.
Investigations
Mr Alex Muwanguzi, the chairperson of Ugandans living in Yei, in an interview with a local publication, The Explorer, expressed worry about the unfolding situation, saying they had contacted authorities in Kampala with the hope that they will work with their counterparts in Juba to resolve the situation.
“We have contacted a number of local leaders and asked them to persuade the rebels to unconditionally release the Ugandans,’’ Mr Muwanguzi is quoted.
South Sudan:How should Uganda do business this time?
The Information Minister, Dr Chris Baryomunsi, did not answer our calls or reply to our text messages by press time.
The details of the abductees have not been revealed for fear of causing panic among their families.
“The traders are still alive although their whereabouts are not yet clear, but efforts are being made to appeal for their release,” he said. The abductors have made a Shs45.3m ransom demand to release the traders.
According to Mr Muwanguzi, the militants did not take anything from the camp and some of the workers and drivers managed to escape during the operation and were safely transported to Yei town.
However, Mr Muwanguzi stated that inquiries have been made to the known rebel groups in the area and they have all denied any involvement in the vice.
According to data from the Bank of Uganda (BoU, exports to South Sudan earned $50.6m (Shs182b) in February, which was an increase of more than 21 percent from $39.7m (Shs142b) in January. Cumulatively, according to a BoU report, Uganda’s exports to South Sudan increased to $503.3m (Shs1.8 trillion), for the year ended February 2022, from $353.9m (Shs1.2 trillion) for the period ended February 2021, which represented a percentage growth of 33 percent.
Other incidents
Last week, Mr Denis Asiimwe, a businessman was killed after the abductors opened fire on travellers on the Juba Nimule highway.
In March this year the Foreign Affairs ministry confirmed the disappearance of a Ugandan contractor known as Joseph Opoya, who was working in the Equatorial State in South Sudan.
Opoya and another South Sudanese national who went missing were believed to have been abducted while returning from an inspection of civil works, 10 kilometres away in Tombora Town.
Mr Oryem urged Ugandans to register with Ugandan embassies and missions while abroad for safety.
