Colonel Sam Kiwanuka, the Defence Advisor at the Ugandan Embassy in Juba, South Sudan has decried the alarming rate of Ugandans involved in criminal activities. He says that some Ugandans in South Sudan are involved in armed crime.
Speaking to URN on Tuesday night in an exclusive interview in Juba, the veteran soldier said that the involvement of some Ugandans in criminal activities is causing problems from Ugandans there.
//Cue in: A number of cases here..
Cue out: ..You can’t object,”//
He said while many Ugandans are in South Sudan to do business, some of them are there to engage in criminal activities. Kiwanuka cited an example where 10 cars are impounded over a particular crime, but 7 of them belong to Ugandans. He says this portrays all Ugandans are wrong people, which affects their work.
//Cue in: Uganda are here purposely for business
Cue out: A case to answer,”//
He said two Ugandan women are being held in Juba prison for their involvement in a bank robbery last month. Kiwanuka says that the robbery had nine people, but two Ugandan women were arrested as the other suspects fled into hiding.
Alex Kwitonda Bigira, an officer at the Consular Office admitting some Ugandans had started misbehaving in South Sudan. He however said that natives of South Sudan want trust worthy people, adding that they can’t stomach certain things. He also rubbished the recent press reports in Uganda that 200 Ugandans were being held in jail in Juba.
Bigira showed URN a list of 31 Ugandans on remanded and while 29 others are serving their jail terms. Despite that fact that he declined to give URN a copy of the list, our reporter identified Zakaria John Nabanni as one of the Ugandans convicted for 10 years in jail. URN could not establish what the Ugandan was convicted of.
Bigira said that they have asked Ugandans living in South Sudan to abide by the way and avoid any dishonesty. Last month, Ugandan traders operating in South Sudan stagged a strike over the alleged harrasment by South Sudan nationals and authorities.
