The death toll of Ugandans who have perished in the recent violence in South Sudan has reached 13.
Fresh reports reveal that six truck drivers of Ugandan descent were among the over 20 shot dead the capital, Juba, during the weekend fighting. The other 16 were Kenyans.
Without revealing their identities, an official of a truck driver’s association in Kenya, Nicholas Mbugua, says he had spoken to a driver who had witnessed the killings.
This comes just a day after five Ugandan businessmen were Monday evening reported killed in an ambush following the continued clashes. According to eye witnesses, the incident happened at Aruu junction inside South Sudan.
Bodies of two more Ugandans; Dr Ben Chandinga, a 35-year-old a pharmacist and Batele, a 39-year-old driver with United Nations were handed over by the South Sudanese Police to their Ugandan counterparts on Saturday.
The Ministry of Foreign Affairs has released a hotline the many Ugandan traders and business people living in the war ravaged nation.
State Minister for Foreign Affairs Henry Okello Oryem says the hotline +211 9283 020 44 will help citizens in different parts of the country to seek consular services and support. The number is available for call, text of WhatsApp.
Ugandans troops are returning to the South Sudan capital Juba to evacuate traders.
“UPDF to facilitate safe evacuation of Ugandans in Nisitu, East of River Nile South Sudan by road,” said army spokesman Lt Col Paddy Ankunda.
In December 2013, UPDF entered Juba and secured key installations facilitating the evacuation of foreigners.
However government Spokesperson Ofwono Opondo says Uganda is barred by the 2015 agreement from deploying in South Sudan.
“According to the 2015 Addis Ababa Peace agreement between Uganda, Norway, USA, UK and EU, Uganda is a guarantor to the agreement meaning it can’t be an enforcer. Unless this is reviewed, Uganda can’t be part of peace keeping in South Sudan,” he told journalists on Tuesday.
The fighting claimed the lives of more than 200 people.
