Africa-Press – South-Sudan. A serious shortage of fuel is looming in the country as truck drivers entered their twelfth days of protest at Elegue border point over the increased killings and ambushes along Juba – Nimule highway.
Thousands of trucks meant for juba are parked at Elegue border point as drivers continued demanding road security and their killed colleagues compensated before they entered South Sudan.
Piles of cars could be seen lining-up in some parts of petrol stations in Juba to fill their vehicles while others remained closed because they had run out of fuel.
In an assessment conducted by Juba Monitor a manager with Nile PetroleumCooperation said that they had fuel crisis adding that the volume in stock would not last for long.
“Indeed we have fuel shortage and that’s because truckers refused to enter into the country over fear of insecurity along the highway,”.
“ Let people exercise patience as the government try to find way to solve the matter because I believe if the issue is resolve today or tomorrow this shortage will be over,” he added.
Some stations managers who spoke anonymously echoed the looming of fuel crisis and urged the government to act swiftly on the matter before it got worse.
“If the truckers are not convinced to resume supply
in the country with essential commodities and fuel in coming day I think the situation will be unpredictable,” said the source. Meanwhile, the chairman for the State Chamber of
Commerce, Robert Pitia confirmed that the market prices were increasing but assured the public that they were working to resolve the matter. “Yes actually
prices in the markets are increasing because of vehicles in Nimule are not coming and there is a team sent by the government to Nimule to negotiate with
drivers to come after adequate security had been deployed. I think this evening (yesterday) final results of the meeting would be positive” On 23 Aug, Kenya Transporters Association issued
travel advisory warning their own-drivers from ferrying goods to to South Sudan following the killing of two of their colleagues. On 25 Aug, Ugandan truckers joined their Kenyan counterpart at the border crossing point protesting against the killings and ambushes along the same highway.
