Truck drivers from Kenya operating across the East African region have raised alarm over the detention of their colleagues in South Sudan, claiming several have been jailed without formal charges. They also expressed frustration over the Kenyan government’s apparent reluctance to intervene on their behalf.

The truckers, through their association, the Long Distance Drivers and Conductors Association (LoDCA), confirmed that they have been forced to undergo various challenges in the world's youngest nation, and despite their attempts to have the government intervene on the greater interests of trade, little has been done to salvage the situation. 

According to the truckers, Kenyan drivers and other counterparts from the region end up in South Sudan jails over petty offences, which stem mainly from the poor road designs in the foreign nation. 

''When traffic incidents escalate into legal proceedings, foreign drivers face an uphill battle. Legal representation is hard to secure, court cases are slow, and rulings are often biased in favour of local interests. Some drivers have found themselves imprisoned for months without formal charges, simply because they could not immediately meet the “compensation” demands made by aggrieved parties or officials," LoDCA stated. 

Shipping trucks along the Nimule Juba Highway in South Sudan

Daily Nation

The association decried what they termed as unclear traffic laws in the nation that are often biased to foreigners, among them Kenyans. 

Furthermore, they revealed that foreign drivers involved in minor traffic incidents or disputes at checkpoints face unpredictable consequences, ranging from hefty fines to detention without formal charges.

''South Sudan’s judicial system compounds the challenges posed by unclear traffic laws. Judgments in traffic-related cases are often arbitrary, biased against foreigners, and influenced by graft. The term “jungle law” is frequently used by drivers to describe the lawlessness they encounter, where legal outcomes depend more on the mood of authorities than on established principles.''

The truckers also stated that Kenyan drivers are often subjected to long inspection delays, creating a bottleneck that has since impacted cross-border commerce. 

Meanwhile, the truckers have blamed the lack of standardised regulations under the EAC Customs Union, noting that although the union mandates harmonised road transport policies, South Sudanese authorities often impose arbitrary rules that contradict regional agreements.

Earlier this year, a dispute had emerged between the government of South Sudan and the long-distance traders over a collection of taxes at the port city of Mombasa contrary to customs laws.

The South Sudanese Government, however, addressed the issue of its customs systems at the Mombasa port, denying allegations of collecting taxes at the port, which had led to congestion of cargo.

Speaking in Mombasa on Wednesday, January 15, Simon Akuei Deng, the Commissioner General of the South Sudan National Revenue Authority (SSRA), clarified that the then newly implemented customs system was intended to enhance transparency in cargo invoicing.

He dismissed the claims of tax collection at the Mombasa port, maintaining that they were installing a system to improve transparency in cargo importation in line with EAC customs protocols, similar to other countries that have already implemented customs systems at the port.

In 2024, Kenya's exports to South Sudan reached approximately Ksh25 billion, marking a notable increase from Ksh22.2 billion the previous year.

Kenyan trucks at Kenya-Uganda border

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