Border Trade Frozen as Travellers Abandon Morobo-Yei Road Over Ambushes

(MOROBO) – Traders and passengers using the Kaya–Morobo–Yei Road in Central Equatoria State are calling on the South Sudanese government to urgently improve security along the main highway that links South Sudan to Uganda and the Democratic Republic of Congo.

Their appeal follows a series of violent ambushes in Morobo County, particularly around Kanja village, where police have confirmed the killing of two people and injuries to others in recent ambushes reported last week and earlier this week.

Mabe Justine, a local trader currently stranded in Morobo town, expressed fear about travelling to Yei due to ongoing insecurity.

“I am currently resting in Morobo town because we were informed that the road is not safe,” he said. “My message to the government is to ensure that the road remains safe for us traders and other people using this road.”

Justine warned that continued insecurity on the road could isolate Yei town from Uganda, cutting off essential supplies and trade.

“We have many traders waiting in Koboko District of Uganda. They want to risk their goods on the road because they are afraid of losing them. We still call on the government to ensure that the road is accessible throughout the year,” he added.

Edina Fatuma, a passenger, said she was alarmed by the recent resurgence of violence.

“Since the killing of a boda-boda rider called Munu along the Morobo-Yei Road, we are now getting scared because the road is becoming unsafe for common citizens and women like us who move on the road.”

David Aloro, another commuter, also voiced calls for peace.

“We want peace and security so that we can move freely, bring goods from Uganda and provide services for the people in Yei and other parts of the country.”

Efforts to obtain comments from the Morobo County Commissioner were unsuccessful.

On 18 June 2025, during a swearing in ceremony at the State House in Juba, President Salva Kiir Mayardit urged Lt. Gen. Rabi Mujung Emmanuel, the newly appointed Governor of Central Equatoria State, to work closely with national security agencies to ensure peace and stability across the region.

Governor Mujung, in response, pledged to coordinate with government institutions and organised forces to address insecurity and violence in the state. He also reiterated his commitment to supporting President Kiir’s broader vision of peace and unity in the country.

Residents in Morobo County say the security situation has significantly deteriorated, leading to mass displacements. More than 7,000 people have been forced to flee their homes, becoming internally displaced persons (IDPs) within the county.

On 30 June 2025, Remijo Lasu Peter, a Member of the National Legislative Assembly representing Morobo County, said that recent clashes between government forces (SSPDF) and opposition troops (SPLA-IO) in Yaribe and Lujulo East have escalated tensions, resulting in insecurity and fresh waves of displacement.

The Kaya–Morobo–Yei road is an essential commercial and humanitarian corridor for South Sudan, connecting the country to Uganda and the DRC. Continued instability along this route threatens regional trade and access to basic services and aid deliveries for thousands of civilians.