As country awaits final position from legislature and executive on use and trade of charcoal, following Speaker Jacob Oboth Oboth’s pronouncement before Parliament two weeks ago, South Sudanese authorities have dismissed claims that harvesting of forest products in their territory is facilitating illegal rebel activities.
On several occasions, authorities in Uganda have defended enforcement on claims that South Sudan authorities accuse them of empowering illegal armed groups in Central Equatorial State areas of Yei, Morobo and Kajo-Keji counties through forest product business.
However authorities in Kajo-Keji County say trade was authorised and contracted by South Sudan government.
“This company known as Royal Merchant Trading Company was contracted by government of South Sudan to clear area around Moroto training Centre for cantonment. That’s why company is welcoming foreigners who have come to register and buy charcoal, logs and timber; they will be given opportunity to buy from registered company, this is because county government has knowledge of company,” said Peter Jackson Golo, Administrator of Kerwa Boma in Kajo-Keji County.
Golo says allegations that charcoal trade is aiding rebels are false.
“The claims I am hearing from Uganda are not true, this specific area is under government control not rebels and we want to refute this claim,” he said.
Isaac Akot Dobo, Field Operations Manager for Royal Merchant General Trading Company Limited, says they were contracted to clear area without pay and government told them to harvest forest product in return.
“We were contracted by government of South Sudan to do clearance of area around Moroto in Kajo-Keji for military training, all legal procedures were done with government of South Sudan. When it comes to charcoal business, government offered us contract to clear place called Moroto as training Centre, so government said she doesn’t have money and trees we are going to clear from ground, we burn it and then we sell to get our money so as company, these over 250 charcoal traders from Uganda are our clients, they came to us, we registered them and they buy our charcoal. Some charcoal also comes from communities, so they also buy from communities. In case of any problem from South Sudan side, company is responsible,” Dobo said.
He says for trader to get bag of charcoal, you need to clear landlord, government and finally get charcoal. For clearance one spends Shs 8,000 while bag costs Shs 22,000.
“Over 100,000 bags of charcoal of our clients are stranded here in bush, sacks are rotting yet they have sunk millions of shillings, therefore my humble request to government of Uganda is for them to allow these traders take their charcoal to market,” he said.
Managing Director of Royal Merchant Trading Company Abraham Mariel says company was contracted by South Sudan government to clear forested areas and subsequently signed Memorandum of Understanding with Ugandan traders to harvest and trade forest products.
But following ban in Uganda, hundreds of bags belonging to Ugandan traders are stranded in Liwolo Payam, Kajo-Keji County.
Traders say suspension is making them count losses, fail to pay loans, feed families and pay school fees.
Trader Salam Ovizio said: “Mr President, Gen Muhoozi, I want tell you we are a moving corpse as we talk because we no longer eat, we no longer have any access to money to sustain our families, we have been respecting this directive since 2023 however we have been single parents we are facing a lot of challenges, I don’t have feed my family and pay their school fees, we even crossed to South Sudan to trade but still we have been stopped. Currently I have 2000 bags charcoal stranded here in South Sudan.”
Another trader Lawrence Ndawula said: “We are currently in deep pain because of this directive, we borrowed loans and can no longer pay back because money has been converted into charcoal yet we can’t take to market – for me alone, I have 4000 bags worth 80 million. This is money that I borrowed as loan.”
Zaitun Bako said she has 2,500 bags worth Shs 60 million: “I have 2000 bags of charcoal at assemble point, 500 bags which is still in bush, these are all money, we left our children home and for over 5 months we haven’t seen them because we are looking for survival, my message to president is that you can’t talk about social economic transformation when your citizens are poor, you’re impoverishing us more with this your directive, how do you feel killing someone’s capital in such way, we need your pardon such that we take our produce to market.”
Team leader of affected traders Dorcus Okello said about 200 Ugandan traders are affected, with 100,000 bags worth Shs 6 billion stuck and rotting.
“Apparently this business has been put on halt some two months back, it was on 2nd of August since then as business community who have their commodities in another country, we have been trying our level best to negotiate, Division commander in Gulu promised us and requested we write letter giving details of those affected of which we did, however to our dismay, nothing has happened, we are over 250 affected traders with 100,000 bags of charcoal worth Shs 6 billion affected,” Okello said.
According to Okello, trade was conducted after obtaining clearance from relevant authorities in both countries, including revenue authorities.
“We pay taxes, we buy charcoal from South Sudan and pay government of South Sudan, we go to Uganda and pay taxes, we pay revenue to district of entrance and then Uganda Revenue Authority where we are exited to market,” she said.
She says each truck pays Shs 1.3 million to URA.
“We want to be helped; most of us are single mothers, widows, widowers, loan holders among others. When getting clearance from URA, we pay Shs 4000 per bag and truck loads 300 bags which translates to 1.2 million, our appeal to government is they should give us window period of 3 months for us to get our charcoal out of South Sudan and take to market,” she said.
State Minister for Sports Peter Ogwang says impounded charcoal has become concern and needs to be disposed of.
“The issue of charcoal has become continuous, however cabinet took decision after members from northern Uganda complained to president about massive environmental depletion in Northern Uganda, again now we are seeing clash back, for now I know people in Koboko can’t afford use of gas and electricity, as we wait for government position – let’s also protect environment,” Ogwang said.
Traders say if government does not intervene, they will incur huge losses after investing heavily in trade they say was legal and cleared by both countries.