Wani’s comments come a day after controversial Ugandan activist Stella Nyanzi said in a statement addressed to President Salva Kiir Mayardit that she was harassed by immigration officers after she refused to pay illegal taxes and urged Kiir to address the ‘high levels of bribes and corruption’ at the airport.
“When I asked him why, he ordered me to follow an un-identified and un-uniformed man. When I refused to follow this complete stranger, your immigration officer in uniform and on duty threatened to arrest me,” Nyanzi narrated in the statement.
“The first impression of South Sudan is created when we arrive at your airport. Unfortunately for me, the thuggery, intimidation, physical assault, gender irregularities and insults that I received at Juba International Airport are a total disappointment, let down and put off.
“My dreams of visiting South Sudan were violently violated by the reception I received at the airport by public officers paid with taxes of Sudanese people,” she added.
In reaction, activist Wani said the misconducts at the airport is a clear manifestation of a failed administration and said those working as immigration officers have not been properly trained on how to handle foreigners visiting the country.
“The horrific experience narrated by Stella Nyanzi at Juba International Airport is a clear manifestation of a failed State,” he wrote on twitter.
“Those officials working at the airport aren’t properly trained on how to handle visitors. The first impression of a [country] is gotten from the Airport,” he added.
Although I respect the freedom of speech, what Wani said is beyond the love for his country. For my opinion instead a follow up and an investigation should be done about this case and if those accused should be taken to court an locked up for three year and dismissed without a pay because with should not encourage curroption. let us love our country and let us not use individual mistakes to damage the image of our nation. Those mony minded individuals should be locked up
and dismissed from work instead. who know they may be people working for the down of our country looters. so, the out burst of brother Wani is beyond proportion which the news writers should excesses courting in using some words like failed state. that is my opinion
Alex, this incident is not confined to Juba airport. It is happening at the port of entries and shows a bad image of our country. perhaps, this is not confined to only few individuals, but a pandemic among immigration officials.