The Ugandan President Yuweri Museveni on Thursday asked President Kiir to pursue the issue of Ugandan traders who supplied goods and services to South Sudan market, but were not paid due to outbreak of war in the country, a senior official at the presidency said.
Ateny Awek Ateny, South Sudan’s presidential spokesman told Radio Tamazuj yesterday that the meeting between President Kiir and his Ugandan counterpart in Juba last week focused on the issue of Ugandan exporters who were not paid due to instability in South Sudan.
He pointed out that the Ugandan leader asked the South Sudanese government to pay an amount of 41 million dollars to Ugandan traders who supplied goods and services to different states in South Sudan between 2008 and 2010.
“The talks focused on the issue of Ugandan traders who supplied goods to South Sudan from 2008 until 2010, so they talked on how to pay those investors an amount of 41 million dollars,” he said.
“Although there were regularities, the documents in the ministry of finance confirm that the Ugandan traders managed to supply grains to the defunct 10 states,” he added.
Ateny, who is also the presidential press secretary, said that official letters from former officials confirmed that the Ugandan traders had supplied goods to the defunct 10 states. However, he pointed to some irregularities in the process but he didn’t give further details on the matter.
Ateny revealed that they have accepted to pay the Ugandan traders when South Sudan recovers from its economic crisis.
Separately, Ateny denied reports that the Ugandan President called an early general election in South Sudan during his meeting with President Kiir last week. He pointed out that the current unity government is implementing the signed peace accord.