At least two Kenyan commercial banks KCB and Equity have shut down their services in Yei town over lack of clients and continuous insecurity in the area.
One of the workers at Equity Bank branch in Yei explained, “We can no longer tolerate to operate in an unfavourable business environment. So we have decided to close down our operations in Yei River State until the security situation gets better.”
He said they are experiencing high operating costs which the bank can no longer bear to sustain. He says some of their staff will be laid off from work whereas others will be transferred to work in the capital Juba.
Earlier, State Information Minister Stephen Ladu Onesmo said that the government had issued an order directing all commercial banks to continue providing services to the people as the government is working hard to restore peace and stability in the region.
“All commercial banks and financial institutions operating in Yei River state to resume their full operations as usual immediately. Secondly, all bank officials who have fled the state to the neighbouring countries or states of South Sudan are hereby directed to report to their work stations otherwise they will lose their positions,” the order read.