We need resources to protect South Sudan borders, says Gen. Akec
The Inspector General of Police, Gen. Majak Akec, said it would take proper demarcation of borders and deployment of enough well-equipped police on the borders to deal with perennial insecurity.
Gen. Akec, who spoke during the briefing of the police by Minister of Interior Angelina Teny on Monday, acknowledged the need to deal with bouts of insecurity but emphasised the underlying factors that encourage the problems.
“Our borders are open and to protect them, there is a need for the equipment for the border police,” he said.
“We need to have enough border police; there is a need to have mobility and the budget in order for the police to protect the border and monitor who is entering and going,” he said.
According to the IGP, there are challenges facing the directorate of police service, one of which is a lack of mobility. He said there could have cars but there is no fuel or food for the police who are protecting the country.
“People blame the police for not delivering services but there is no budget allocated for the activities. Until now, it is been hard; we need transformation and reform,” he said.
His statement comes in the wake of border security challenges between South Sudan and Uganda, where South Sudanese authorities have blamed Ugandan People’s Defence Forces (UPDF) of occasional border breaches. The most recent one was in Kajo Keji County.
Due to this, last month, the National Transitional Legislative Assembly agreed to summon national ministers over the brewing tension and insecurity along the South Sudan border, particularly in Kajo Kaji County, Central Equatoria State.
During the deliberations, the Speaker of Parliament, Jemma Nunu Kumba, emphasized that the ministers of interior (Angelina Teny), defense (Chol Balok), and foreign affairs (Pitia Morgan) were to answer queries on the issue of the South Sudan-Uganda border tension.
Nathaniel Oyet, the first deputy speaker in the Reconstituted Transitional National Legislative Assembly, said there was also a need for the border committees, especially the southern and northern borders, to be involved.
“We also need to hear from these committees whether they are working or defunct,” Oyet said.
Issues come up.
On September 4, 2023, the Observer Newspaper of Uganda published an article accusing South Sudanese authorities of claiming more than 20 Ugandan villages in Yumbe district.
Kiju alleged in the motion that on September 8, 2023, the authorities of Yumbe district abducted and detained the Executive Chief of Bori Boma, Mr. Erasto Wuya, while he was on his way to Arua Hospital to attend to his sick brother.
“He was incarcerated for 7 days under deplorable conditions, including starvation, with no opportunity for medical treatment,” he stated.
On September 13, 2023, he further alleged that Ugandan citizens from Yumbe district entered Bori Boma and engaged in massive tree logging and charcoal burning, but they were “apprehended by authorities of Bori Boma and handed over to Kajokeji County Police as by law.”
Last month, the Central Equatoria State government reached out to Ugandan authorities where a group of arrested Ugandans were handed over in return for a South Sudanese chief who had been detained by Ugandan authorities.
