The authorities in Lakes State have confirmed that about 300 commuter vehicles and heavy trucks carrying cows, goats, and chicken from the Western Bahr el Ghazal state capital, Wau, to Juba have been stranded for three days at Bahr el Naam in Rumbek East County after the bridge broke down.
Aman Bashir Aman, a Sudanese cattle trader, said that he was traveling from Wau to Juba.
“When we came here, we found the Bahr el Naam Bridge had broken down. We have spent about three days here at the roadside,” he said. “We bought these 28 cows, two of which died on the truck due to hunger, with a lot of money, between SSP 15 and 19 million. When the bridge is fixed, we will go to Juba with the remaining cows. These cows are very heavy, and if we offload them, then we will not be able to load them back on the truck.”
Thuch Maluak Mawath, a chicken trader who broke down in tears, said that he had lost 16 chickens out of the 57 which he bought from Tonj.
“We have spent three days here in Rumbek East County,” he said. “I was taking these chickens to Juba for sale, but when we came here, we found a bridge had broken down, and we spent three days here, and this is where I lost 16 chickens”.
Isaac Luka Munga, Deputy Governor of Lakes State, who inspected the bridge, said that the situation is serious and requires quick intervention by the national government.
“The passengers, including women and children, are exposed to the elements and have no food and medication,” he said. “The Bahr el Naam Bridge needs a very quick intervention from the experts so that the vehicles can pass because the business people are also suffering.”
“Some traders are transporting perishable goods like tomatoes and cabbages, and they are rotting, and cows are also dying on trucks,” Deputy Governor Munga added.
Haruon Hassan, a stranded passenger traveling from Juba to Wau, said they were informed that engineers were on the way to repair the bridge.
“The extent of the damage to the bridge will take at least five days to repair. Our situation is dire, and we do not have clean water to drink,” he said. “The bridge is badly damaged, and heavy trucks cannot pass through.”
Meanwhile, Zechariah Magot Ater, the state minister of roads and bridges, said the bridge started breaking down over the weekend and became impassable on Monday.
“We called upon the national government to intervene in this matter,” he stated. “The team of engineers from Juba has arrived at the bridge and will start work by tomorrow.”
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