Woja Emmanuel is a South Sudanese journalist and media professional who has worked with worked for several media outlets including the Juba Monitor newspaper, Eye Radio and Radio Tamazuj.
(OPINION | Woja Emmanuel)
The Juba-Yei road should not be used as a political slogan.
Today, I came across an article published by Eye Radio stating that Rhino Construction Company, contracted by the national government to repair or rehabilitate the road, is asking for fuel and financial support to carry out the work. This once again reveals a familiar pattern of failed contracting and poor planning.
This took me back to an article I worked on in 2019 when I was still at Eye Radio. Since then, the story of the Juba-Yei road has continued to unfold as a symbol of broken promises.
Let me outline these failures year by year.
2019: The government announced plans to upgrade and pave the Juba-Yei-Kaya road. At the time, Rebecca Joshua was the Minister of Roads and Bridges. No contractor was publicly named, and no visible work followed.
May 2020: A rehabilitation contract was reportedly awarded to Samko National Construction Company, an Egyptian firm. Despite the announcement, there was no meaningful progress on the ground.
October 2021: President Salva Kiir renamed the road the “Aggrey Jaden Road” and promised it would be constructed to international standards. The announcement was delivered by Dr Barnaba Marial during a memorial ceremony for Aggrey Jaden in Rock City, Juba. Once again, the promise did not lead to action.
2022: Bush clearing and earthworks contracts were awarded to African Resources Corporation (ARC) and KIT Construction Company. Some work began in certain sections but was later suspended, reportedly due to insecurity.
2023: Construction activities were said to have resumed after security disruptions, but progress remained limited and inconsistent.
2025: Lawmakers announced that the Yei road would finally be constructed under the oil for roads arrangement, with ARC confirmed as the contractor. Parliament stated that oil worth millions of dollars had been allocated. Despite this, the road remains largely unpaved.
December 2025: The government announced that full construction would begin in 2026 and would involve “international companies”, yet no specific company was named.
Today: Rhino Construction Company is asking for fuel and financial support, raising serious questions about planning, funding and clarity in contracts.
The people of Yei, as well as traders, farmers and consumers across the country, deserve honest answers.
How many contractors are responsible for this road? Who is currently in charge? Where did the allocated funds go? And when, clearly and realistically, will construction actually be completed?
The Juba-Yei road is not a political slogan or a ceremonial name. It is a strategic national asset. Yei’s agricultural production has the potential to feed the country, reduce imports and stabilise the economy, but only if farmers have a reliable road to transport their goods safely and affordably.
The government should be sincere with Junubin. If the road will be constructed, it should clearly state when, by whom, and with what guaranteed funding.
If there are challenges, the people should be told openly. What the country can no longer afford is a cycle of announcements that raise hope but deliver disappointment.
Anyone who comes from Yei, or who has had the opportunity to live there, knows how fertile the area is, how widespread farming is and how abundant food production can be.
The Juba-Yei road should not be remembered as a symbol of failure, but as proof that the government can finally turn words into action for agriculture, for the economy, and for the people.
Woja Emmanuel is a South Sudanese journalist and media professional who has worked with worked for several media outlets including the Juba Monitor newspaper, Eye Radio and Radio Tamazuj.
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