The cross-border movement has resumed at the Nadapal border crossing following clashes between the Toposa of South Sudan and Turkana of Kenya after reported border clashes last month.
On 6 February, fighting erupted after the Turkana community allegedly attacked the Toposa in Nadapal with claims that the Toposa cattle herders encroached on their territory.
Officials reported that about 13 people were killed during the fighting, and the border post was closed.
However, Eastern Equatoria Governor Louis Lobong Lojore told Radio Tamazuj on Wednesday that the road between Kenya and South Sudan is now open and that the cross border transport has resumed.
“People are now moving normally, and the situation is calm. We want to make it very clear to our communities that the issue of international borders is a matter of the national governments of the two countries,” he said.
“The governments from both sides have made a lot of progress; one was that they signed an MOU and formed a joint committee from both countries. So this technical committee is supposed to use all necessary documents available, which were used by the British to demarcate the borders, and they are all available. They made a lot of meetings, so they agreed on how to proceed,” Lobong added.
Governor Lobong appeals to Toposa and Turkana communities to prepare themselves to accept whatever results from the technical border committee.
Angelo Abdalla Lokeno, the commissioner of Kapoeta East County, confirmed that transport between the two countries has resumed.
“We had agreed with them (Kenyans) in the agreement that no one should temper with the road to allow people to move. it is true the people moving maybe fearing, they fear a lot, but now it is okay, the situation is calm,” he explained.