Travelers and motorists seen in this photo struggling to cross Juba-Kajokeji road - credit | Alex Lado | Sept 2, 2021

Some motorists and travelers have called on both, Central Equatoria state and the national governments to repair the impassable Juba-Kajo-Keji road, which has been damaged by heavy rains.

The more than 350 kilometers road is the only major route connecting Kajo-keji to Juba.

According to the motorists, it has been in bad conditions for years now, and was not repaired.

They say during the rainy seasons, bridges and culverts are often washed away, making it difficult to transport people and goods from the capital Juba.

Some of the motorists and travelers spoke to Eye Radio in Juba on Thursday.

“Culverts are all broken, there is no bridge and when it has rains, you may see that it is too small but once you get in, front tires get in, you will be stuck and the vehicle will always suck water,” one of the drivers, Simon Kenya said.

“Some times in the morning you want to cross and your vehicle will stuck in the same water that has been flowing in the night and it is very difficult with the small kids travelling to village,” Another driver, Bojo Samuel, told Eye Radio on Thursday.

He added that: “We normally sleep two to three days. Sometimes we have to go with panga or axes. You have to cut some trees to make way for you to cross the river in a very safe place to cross easily. Let the government at least consider people of Kajokeji as part of South Sudan.”

“My message is for the government to consider the travelers of Kajokeji on this road because these people are suffering. Some people are suffering with small kids, people who suffer most are the women and children,” he added.

One of the travelers, Yira Emmanuella who spoke to Eye Radio says the road is impassable when it rains.

“It was a hard journey because we needed to travel from there to that river. There was a lot of rain drop on the mud, so we had to get out of the vehicle and start footing for a long distance. Actually we slept on the way and some of our mothers actually even if they are not our real mothers, they carry their babies and sleep on the way,” Emmanuella said.

She added that: “It wasn’t easy for us. Let this government of South Sudan at least try their best to construct the road so that we cannot sleep on the way.”

Alex Lado, one of the travelers, says they spent a night on the road because their car got stuck in a muddy road.

“I beg them [government] to construct the roads, construct the bridges on the roadside and culvert because it is not good for people to sleep on the way,” Alex said.

“You know us youth and the elders with the young generation’s coz if they sleep on the way like this they will not even feel good. This road we moved for three hours but now people move for two days.”

Since the outbreak of conflict in 2016, roads connecting Juba to kajokeji and Juba to Yei remained in poor condition as travelers stopped using them due to security concerns.

On Wednesday, President Salva Kiir pledged to tarmac Juba-Yei-Kaya road to ease movement of people and goods.

However, without having to be asked, the constitution and the revitalized peace agreement obligates the Kiir administration to build roads, electrify towns, maintain peace and order and bring piped water all over the country.

Currently, the government is constructing two highways: Juba-Rumbek and Juba-Bor.