Residents of Greater Yei are calling on the government to improve security and resume work on the long-delayed Juba-Lainya-Yei-Kaya road ahead of national elections scheduled for December.
They say the poor condition of the road and bridges has disrupted the movement of people, goods and essential services across Central Equatoria state, while insecurity along the route remains a major concern.
The calls come as Vice President James Wani Igga and Central Equatoria Governor Emmanuel Adil Anthony visited Yei River County earlier this week.
Residents said they expected the leaders to address deteriorating road infrastructure, which they said had made transportation increasingly difficult and hurt trade and livelihoods across the region.
Gaga Frank, a youth leader and resident of Yei, said that the presence of holdout armed groups had affected young people, with reports of continued abductions, while poor roads further restricted movement and trade.
“The continuous presence of the holdout groups has negatively affected security, farming, trade, access to education and investment. Many young people remain vulnerable to displacement, unemployment, abductions and recruitment into violence.”
He also called for the rehabilitation of the Juba-Lainya-Yei-Kaya highway, saying the road was critical to trade, agricultural production, service delivery and investment.
Speaking on behalf of women, Alice Siama, a women’s activist in Greater Yei, said authorities had cleared trees and graves along parts of the road in preparation for rehabilitation, but work had yet to begin.
“Our roads have been cleared, our trees brought down and graves were all cleared because they said they were rehabilitating our roads, and up to now nothing has been done.”
Siama said rehabilitating the roads was important for the elections and called for an end to conflict.
“For elections to be successful, let the roads be rehabilitated so that we know that you have fulfilled the promise. Women are tired of conflicts. Let’s end these conflicts because we want peace.”
Paramount Chief Joseph Brown Lomose reminded Wani Igga of his earlier commitment to improve the road and urged the government to implement the plan.
“Our road from Juba to Yei is in bad shape. I am repeating what has been said because when you promise something, it needs to be implemented.”
He said communities in Yei, Morobo and Lainya were waiting for the road rehabilitation project to begin.
Governor Adil separately appealed to holdout armed groups to stop ambushing civilians and join the peace process.
He said members of armed groups could be trained and integrated into state institutions, including the police and army, rather than being deployed to frontline fighting.
“Let it be politics but not ambushes because you cannot do an ambush on your brother or sister, those going to the markets. All these should stop.”
Adil also said authorities wanted roads in the area reopened to facilitate movement.
Wani Igga called for dialogue with holdout armed groups, saying continued insecurity was undermining development and delaying construction and rehabilitation of roads, bridges and other infrastructure.
“We want to engage in dialogue. It’s the first thing that we discussed together with Adil in Juba. We want to stabilize this nation and, because of that, we must talk to these children.”
He said South Sudan’s previous conflicts had shown that dialogue was necessary to resolve disputes.
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