Truck Drivers Demand Compensation After Ugandan Driver Shot Dead in South Sudan

The Alliance of Heavy Truck Drivers’ Federation has strongly condemned the killing of a Ugandan truck driver in South Sudan and is demanding immediate compensation for the bereaved family. The victim, identified as Kawooya Jamiru, was gunned down during a delivery run, sparking fresh outrage among regional transport operators.

According to federation chairman Isaac Katabazi, the tragic incident happened around midday at Kapweta. Jamiru was operating a truck delivering sugar when tragedy struck. He had two vehicles on the route; one experienced a mechanical breakdown, and Jamiru was reportedly targeted while returning from a rescue mission.

At the time of the shooting, Jamiru was driving with a designated South Sudanese security escort. Following the attack, both the armed escort and the victim’s brother, who served as a turnboy, went missing. Transport associations have expressed deep concern over the safety of other Ugandan drivers stranded in volatile areas due to poor communication networks and ongoing security threats.

The federation is calling on authorities in Juba to facilitate the safe repatriation of Jamiru’s body and to secure the unconditional release of any Ugandan drivers currently detained over minor traffic issues. Drivers argue that harassment and extreme penalties remain rampant, noting instances where exorbitant fines are levied for accidental livestock collisions.

This latest violence comes on the heels of high-level diplomatic assurances. Just weeks prior, during the second Uganda-South Sudan Trade Forum, Juba’s Minister of Trade promised that cross-border security was guaranteed and non-tariff barriers had been eliminated. Transport leaders are now urging both governments to address these ongoing security failures.

Read more on the original report by Daily Monitor.