Top cleric tells gov’t to improve security along roads

JUBA – South Sudanese top clergy on Sunday called on the government to improve security along major roads across the country to enable citizens to go about their normal activities.

Archbishop and Primate of the Episcopal Church of South Sudan, Most Rev. Dr. Justin Badi Arama made this call following the recent surge in killings and kidnappings of passengers along Juba-Nimule highway.

In September 2024, a long-distance bus came under attack by gunmen along Juba-Nimule highway, leaving at least one person dead and several others feared kidnapped.

The passenger vehicle, heading for the Ugandan capital, Kampala, was targeted by suspected NAS soldiers.

Speaking to journalists after Sunday services at All Saints Cathedral in Juba, Dr. Arama, metropolitan Bishop of Juba Diocese called on the government to improve security along the roads to allow bishops to disseminate the gospel of God.

“Our government should prioritize the security of travelers on the road so that it may give us the assurance that as we travel,” he said.

“As we move about with the mission and messages of peace and reconciliation, there will be security for our evangelists and for our priests and for our youth.”

He called on those still holding arms against the government to denounce violence and join the peace process in order to restore peace and stability in the country.

“So, it is our prayer that this will be done by our government and all those who take arms in their hands, please we plead with you that the anger should not always be on the innocent citizens,” he said.

For his part, Enoch Elisama Sungunalmiyo, the newly consecrated suffragan Bishop of Gangura Area Diocese of Yambio urged South Sudanese to embrace peace to foster development.

“Because without peace there will be no development. We will remain the way we are. I’m calling upon our politicians to at least look into our problems because the citizens are crying of lack of peace,” Elisama said.

He echoed the same call to the government to improve security to enable the churches to preach the good news to the people.

“There is no way we can move from here to Uganda without ambushes on the way. So, we call upon the organized forces to at least have total peace for us so that we can be able in our churches to preach the good news to the people. Let me go back to my internal problems,” he said.