Export Zone Mpondwe Lhubiriha market at the border of Uganda and DRC. (Photo/Daily Monitor)

A team of South Sudan diplomats in Uganda have visited a transit point at the border with Democratic Republic of Congo following harassment allegations against national fish traders by Ugandan authorities.

The visit came after the South Sudanese fish exporters said their colleague is currently jailed at Katwe Prison in Mpondwe town over an unknown reason – and asked to pay $7,000 as ransom.

There have also been reports of three other South Sudanese nationals sentenced to three months in prison in Uganda in May 2024 for allegedly violating exports procedures while transiting to DRC.

Meanwhile, the traders complained to the diplomats on Saturday about multiple charges imposed at different points by the Uganda Revenue Authority (URA) even after goods have been cleared at the Nimule Elegu border point.

According to Daily Monitor newspaper, the South Sudan diplomats, in their meeting with Kasese District commissioner, were told that their traders were undeclaring tonnage and smuggling immature fish from Lakes Victoria.

Meanwhile, a South Sudanese diplomat accused Kampala of contravening the regional and international trade rules on transit.

“How can URA and fisheries authorities that gave stamp of approval to these fish trucks at the Elegu border crossing to be the same authorities stopping the fish from crossing to their final destination,” said Lt. Colonel Samuel Wani, Interpol Attaché at the South Sudan embassy in Kampala.

On June 12, 2024, Hon. Peter Lomody, a South Sudanese lawmaker questioned the Minister of Trade about the safety of the national fish exporters, who have been jailed in Uganda.

During a parliamentary sitting, Hon. Lomody, asked the trade minister about safety procedures that has been taken to address the matter, adding that it is the responsibility of the minister to organize South Sudan fish export to the region.

In response, Trade Minister William Anyuon said his office and the South Sudan Bureau of Standards are not being notified by the traders when they head to Uganda.

Anyuon said the national traders preferred not to produce license from the ministry to avoid such cases, and instead, smuggle their goods without trademarks.