Juba Commissioner Clarifies Foreign Retail Policy, Denies Expulsion

Juba County caretaker commissioner Kalisto Ladu has denied reports that he ordered foreign nationals to leave the county, saying his recent remarks were aimed at restricting foreigners from small-scale retail businesses rather than forcing them out of the country. Ladu said on Tuesday that reports circulating on social media that he had given foreigners seven days to leave Juba County or South Sudan were false and beyond his authority. “The Commissioner has never said that, and it’s not even the mandate of the Commissioner to evacuate people or to send people out of South Sudan,” Ladu said. He said South Sudan remains open to foreign nationals who comply with the law and are not involved in criminal activities. “We are welcoming everybody from any country who want to come to be with us in South Sudan,” Ladu said. Ladu said his earlier remarks during a campaign to clean and reorganise parts of Juba were intended to encourage foreigners to invest in wholesale trade, companies, factories and other larger businesses, while leaving small-scale retail activities to South Sudanese. He cited the sale of chapatti, onions, tomatoes and other food items, as well as riding motorcycle taxis, commonly known as boda bodas, as activities that should be left to South Sudanese. “If we can just leave our people like that, without also protecting them in business, then we will be committing negligence,” he said. The commissioner said the policy is not intended to discriminate against foreigners or prevent them from doing business in South Sudan. “There is nothing about sending foreigners out of South Sudan. There is nothing about prohibiting foreigners from business. There is nothing about hating foreigners,” he said. Ladus clarification follows remarks he made during an inspection of Kubri Haboba market in Juba on Monday, when he warned foreign nationals against engaging in retail trade and urged them to focus on wholesale businesses and larger investments. Separately, Ladu has ordered traders operating from roadside and temporary structures to comply with county requirements, including moving businesses away from road reserves and replacing some iron-sheet structures with permanent buildings. Ladu said the county administration is reorganising roads and markets, removing rubbish and moving traders who were operating on roadsides to designated areas. He said foreigners living in Juba County should not fear the ongoing operations as long as they complied with the law. “You are allowed to do business,” Ladu said, while urging foreign nationals to respect South Sudanese laws and leave small-scale retail activities to South Sudanese. The commissioner said the measures are also part of efforts to improve security, service delivery and preparations for December elections.