At least 1,000 commercial trucks with goods from Uganda destined for Juba are stranded at the congested Nimule border over high tax dispute, officials said
The development follows the imposition of new taxes on trucks by the South Sudan Government.
According to the long distance trucks association, the taxes prompted a strike by the transport operators.
Last week, the Chairperson of South Sudan Revenue Authority (SSRA), Simon Akuei Deng, directed local and international businesses to comply with the new tax regime.
The chairperson of the long distance trucks association, Sudi Kawi Mwatela, told Radio Tamazuj that they were not consulted on the recent change in taxes.
Mwatela said the drivers often experienced harassments and illegal charges along the Nimule – Juba highway, an act that angered them.
“We refuse to cross the border because of the challenges. This has been a problem for so long, at any check point, there is harassment and especially since the taxes were introduced without consultation,” he explained.
A Nimule border clearing agent, Daniel Deng, confirmed the incident, saying there was no truck crossing the border with goods from Uganda.
Deng said the long distance truck drivers were demanding the immediate removal of the illegal roadblocks and the reduction of the taxes.
Nimule Town Police Inspector David Gasmiro said about 1,000 trucks were currently jammed at the Nimule Uganda border
He added that some truck owners who were supposed to take goods to South Sudan, offloaded them along the roads for fear of the high charges.