Concerns have emerged over the safety of Kenyan truck drivers operating in South Sudan following reports that a long-distance driver was brutally assaulted along the Juba-Nesitu Road on Wednesday, July 1.
According to the Long Distance Drivers and Conductors Association of Kenya (LODDCA), shared last evening, a senior driver was allegedly attacked by South Sudanese soldiers before being rushed to Juba in critical condition.
“Senior driver Mzee Malalo has reportedly been brutally assaulted by South Sudanese soldiers along the Juba-Nesitu Road this evening,” LODDCA said.
The incident has sparked outrage among transporters and drivers who have for years complained of insecurity, harassment, extortion and violent attacks while transporting goods along regional trade corridors linking Kenya and South Sudan.
The latest assault comes just days after Kenyan truck drivers staged protests in South Sudan over what they described as worsening insecurity and repeated attacks targeting drivers operating along key supply routes.
During the demonstrations held four days earlier in Nimule, angry drivers blocked sections of the road and temporarily disrupted transport operations while demanding improved security and protection.
“This is Nimule. There’s a driver who was killed here last night. We have been oppressed by the Sudanese here as drivers. Others are killing us using guns,” one of the protesting drivers said in a video circulated online.
“Now we are blocking the roads and protesting. We are fighting for our rights as drivers. We have closed the border, and now we are negotiating to agree, and they charge us a lot of money,” the driver added.
The protests followed reports that another driver had allegedly been killed along the corridor, intensifying fears among transporters who rely on the route to deliver fuel, food and other goods into South Sudan.
Long-distance truck drivers operating within the region have repeatedly raised concerns over armed attacks, robberies, illegal road charges and violent confrontations, particularly along routes passing through conflict-prone areas.
The latest developments have once again renewed debate over the safety of regional transport corridors critical to trade among Kenya, Uganda, and South Sudan.
The concerns also come barely days after another incident involving a truck driver was captured along the Mai Mahiu Escarpment in Kenya, where a suspected thief was filmed allegedly stealing a fire extinguisher from a moving truck on June 30, 2026.
Drivers are now calling for stronger security measures and urgent intervention to improve safety along key trade routes.