Authorities in Morobo County, South Sudan’s Central Equatoria State, said a Kenyan engineer, James Kariuki, was shot dead and another Kenyan national, Richard Matiangi, went missing following a road ambush on Thursday morning.
The two were traveling to Uganda to buy construction materials when their vehicle was attacked near Bazi, three miles from Morobo town. Assailants opened fire, killing Kariuki, before setting the car ablaze. Matiangi remains missing.
Isaac Batali, chairperson of Holy Trinity Church, told Radio Tamazuj that Kariuki had been contracted to build a primary school and renovate the parish quarters.
“The incident happened today. When I reached the church compound at 8 a.m., I learned that James Kariuki, a Kenyan working on our school and the priest’s residence, had left earlier to buy materials in Uganda,” Batali said. “Around three miles from here, near Bazi, they were ambushed. The car was burned, and there were bullet holes. The engineer was found dead inside.”
Batali said Matiangi, an assistant engineer, was with Kariuki but has since disappeared. “We only recovered the body at the roadside. There were only two people in the vehicle, the engineer and his colleague.”
Morobo County Commissioner Charles Data confirmed the attack, saying Kariuki was shot while driving before the vehicle was set on fire. South Sudan People’s Defence Forces (SSPDF) soldiers in the area killed one assailant in a shootout, he said.
“Our soldiers arrived and engaged the attackers, killing one rebel,” Data said. “We are still gathering information on the others involved.”
Data urged rebel forces to pursue dialogue, warning that such violence harms civilians and humanitarian operations.
“This conflict is hurting civilians and aid workers, not just soldiers,” he said. “Dialogue is needed to resolve grievances peacefully.”
This marks the third fatal road attack this month along the Yei-Morobo and Kaya routes, bringing the death toll to three, including two South Sudanese and one Kenyan.
The commissioner, however, did not identify the armed assailants he referred to as rebels.
Previous clashes in Morobo have involved SPLA-IO forces and SSPDF. It remains unclear whether the rebels mentioned by authorities belong to the National Salvation Front (NAS) or SPLA-IO.
No group has claimed responsibility for the attack.