Encroachment on the Custom-Jebel Dual Carriage: A Call for Urgent Government Action
The major dual carriage road stretching from the Dr. John Garang Mausoleum roundabout toward Custom, Jebel, and the Rock City axis has turned into an open-air market. What was constructed as a primary arterial road to keep traffic flowing smoothly through Juba is now routinely blocked by street vendors, makeshift stalls, and hundreds of wheelbarrows.
A critical transport corridor—which also connects key routes leading toward the National Security headquarters—is being choked by unregulated commercial activity. The fundamental purpose of a public road is being ignored: roads are engineered for vehicular transit, not market stalls.
The Anatomy of the Gridlock
The illegal expansion of informal trading directly onto the dual carriage road has created several immediate hazards for the city:
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Complete Loss of Lane Capacity: Vendors occupying entire lanes force cars, public minibuses, and emergency vehicles into single-file bottlenecks, causing severe gridlock that stretches back to the Garang Mausoleum roundabout.
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Severe Traffic Hazards: Pedestrians, shoppers, and wheelbarrow pushers weave directly through moving traffic, creating constant safety risks for drivers and market-goers alike.
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Disruption to Strategic Transport Routes: This corridor serves as a main artery for commuters traveling toward Rock City, Jebel, and key state installations. Blocking it disrupts daily commerce across the entire capital.
Institutional Inaction and the Question of Revenue
The persistence of this illegal market highlights a troubling gap in municipal oversight. Concerns remain focused on the local leadership and urban management authorities:
[ Illegal Encroachment on Dual Carriageway ]
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┌──────────────────────────────────────────────────┐
│ INSTITUTIONAL BREAKDOWN │
├────────────────────────┬─────────────────────────┤
│ Central Equatoria Govt │ Lack of enforcement │
│ Juba City Council │ Tax collection continues│
└────────────────────────┴─────────────────────────┘
│
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[ Gridlock & Danger for Commuters ]
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Central Equatoria State Leadership: The state government has yet to deploy a sustained, coordinated strategy to clear primary roadways and enforce urban planning laws.
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Juba City Council (JCC): Despite the clear illegality of setup on a active dual carriage road, municipal revenue collectors continue to collect daily fees and taxes from these vendors. Collecting levies from traders operating illegally on active roads signals tacit approval, undermining the city’s own traffic regulations.
A Clear Path Forward: Relocation and Enforcement
Addressing this crisis does not require suppressing small business owners, but rather enforcing proper urban management. The government must act decisively through a two-step approach:
┌─────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────┐
│ PROPOSED ACTION PLAN │
├───────────────────────────┬─────────────────────────────────────────────┤
│ Step │ Objective │
├───────────────────────────┼─────────────────────────────────────────────┤
│ 1. Designated Relocation │ Move vendors to safe, legal market zones │
│ 2. Strict Road Clearance │ Reclaim all lanes of the dual carriage road │
│ 3. Policy Alignment │ Stop tax collection on active roadways │
└───────────────────────────┴─────────────────────────────────────────────┘
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Designate Safe, Off-Road Market Spaces: The Central Equatoria State government and Juba City Council must urgently identify and clear designated municipal land for these traders. Moving vendors to safe, structured market grounds protects their livelihoods while removing them from traffic zones.
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Reclaim the Dual Carriage Road: Once designated trading spaces are provided, law enforcement and city authorities must enforce a strict zero-tolerance policy for vending, wheelbarrow parking, and informal setups on the Custom-Jebel road.
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Align Municipal Policy: Juba City Council must immediately halt the collection of market taxes from vendors operating on active streets and dual carriages.
Restoring Order to Juba’s Infrastructure
A capital city cannot function effectively when its main infrastructure is rendered unusable. Motorists, residents of Rock City and Jebel, and the broader public deserve open, safe roads. It is time for the Governor of Central Equatoria State and the leadership of the Juba City Council to step up, clear the Custom-Jebel dual carriage road, and relocate these traders to suitable market grounds once and for all.
