He cautioned that the current condition of the country’s main trade route stifles commerce and risks further economic decline.
Addressing a press conference in Juba on Monday, Daniel described the highway’s condition as “a national emergency” and called on the Ministry of Roads and Bridges, the Ministry of Transport, and the entire economic cluster to take immediate action.
“We are with a deep sense of urgency and concern regarding the rapid deterioration of the Nimule Highway. This vital national highway serves as the primary gateway for trade and movement between South Sudan, Uganda, and other countries,” Daniel said.
He added, “We therefore respectfully and urgently appeal to your extreme offices, as I mentioned before, the Ministry of Roads and Bridges, the Ministry of Transport, the Ministry of Trade, and the entire economic cluster of the Republic of South Sudan, that initiate immediate emergency referral.”
He said several sections of the highway, particularly around 105 kilometres from Juba, have become nearly impassable, posing severe risks to truck drivers, passengers, and traders transporting essential goods.
“Some of these potholes are about five meters wide and three meters deep, making it impossible for truck drivers to pass. Accidents have become a daily occurrence, and this has been recorded almost every day for months,” he stated.
Daniel warned that the worsening state of the road has triggered a chain reaction affecting the national economy.
Transporters have begun hiking freight fees to compensate for vehicle damage and delays, which has, in turn, increased the prices of goods in markets across the country.
“It affects the economy because once the truck drivers or the transporters start hiking their fees due to the poor condition of the road, it increases the prices of goods, transport, and everything. The same road that connects us is now hurting us,” he explained.
He further sounded an alarm over security concerns, saying criminals often take advantage of damaged sections of the road to ambush and rob passengers and traders.
According to him, at least 15 truck accidents were recorded in August, nine in September, and three more in the first week of October due to poor road conditions have been registered so far.
Many of these incidents resulted in damaged goods worth millions of dollars, including perishable items like fish and frozen chicken, some of which were looted after the accidents.
The SSFFA leader urged the government to undertake emergency repairs and regular maintenance of the highway, stressing that the South Sudan Roads Authority lacks a patrol or monitoring unit to assess road conditions regularly.
“We request you to look into this matter urgently and repair some of the sections, making trucks unable to move. Establish a patrol unit under the highway authority to monitor which spots need urgent repair,” he urged.
He also emphasized that prompt government intervention would not only save lives but also restore confidence among the business community and potential investors who rely on the route for imports and exports.
The Juba–Nimule highway, constructed in 2012 with U.S. government funding through USAID, remains South Sudan’s busiest trade corridor, linking the capital to Uganda’s border town of Elegu.
However, years of neglect, heavy rains, armed robber attacks, and constant overuse by heavy trucks have left large sections of the road severely damaged, with deep potholes that now disrupt trade.
In 2019, the then Deputy Information Minister, Lily Albino Akol Akol, confirmed a decision from a cabinet meeting to allocate 10,000 barrels of its crude oil per day to Chinese firms to build roads within the country.
It was an initiative of President Salva Kiir to improve the state of major roads across the country. But rampant corruption brought the project to its knees.
A report published by the UN Commission for Human Rights in September reveals that an estimated $2.2 billion from schemes such as the ‘Oil for Roads’ initiative was diverted into political patronage networks.
The scheme implicates Benjamin Bol Mel appointed the Vice President and Chairperson for the Economic Cluster in February 2025. The report highlights that Mel’s companies failed to deliver most of the promised roads.
