Once a vibrant trade hub connecting Western Equatoria to neighboring regions such as Western Barl El Ghazal, Democratic Republic of Congo and Central African Republic, Tombura County now resembles a ghost town as insecurity, poor road networks, and a crippling dollar shortage bring commerce to a near standstill.
Shops that once buzzed with activity now stand half-empty. Traders speak of a grim reality where fear, poverty, and inaccessibility have combined to silence the once-lively markets.
“We are really suffering here, there are no customers, no movement, and no dollars. The roads are bad, and insecurity has blocked supply routes, even soap now sells at 7,000 SSP and salt at 2,500 SSP, while other payams and Bomas have nothing to buy,” said Chairperson of the Tombura County Chamber of Commerce Mr. John Tito in an interview with the City Review.
However, Mr. Tito said most traders depend on soldiers traveling from Yambio to bring back limited goods.
“The dollar rate has shot to 600,000 SSP and yet you can’t even find it in Tombura, without peace and good roads, the market will remain dead,” he added.
According to Mr. Paul Baptist Zinaro, a local trader and community leader, described how the fighting has emptied the town citing that. “People have fled to Kenya, Uganda, and the Central African Republic. Only a few remain, mostly soldiers,” he said. “We sell whatever we can find beans are 5,000 SSP per cup, cassava flour 5,000 SSP, and groundnuts 4,500 per gallon. There’s no development anymore, no life in Tambura.”
Tombura County Acting Paramount Chief, Bandaisa Thomas, echoed the same concern, he said insecurity has frightened most residents away from the main market. “Before, people from other payams came freely to trade, but now only a few come. Some payams have no salt or soap at all,” Chief Thomas explained.
Acting Commissioner John Cele admitted that despite efforts to restore calm, traders and consumers alike continue to suffer.
“The market is technically open, but movement from areas like Namutina and Nagero is still risky. The prices of commodities remain too high, and access to goods is limited,” Cele said.
National civil society activist Edmund Yakani, Executive Director of CEPO, said the crisis in Tombura is man-made and politically driven. “Tombura’s market looks like a town without people. The political elites of Western Equatoria have failed to take responsibility for the instability they created,”
He accused local politicians of “punishing their own people for power struggles,” warning that unless the leaders reconcile, ordinary citizens will continue to bear the brunt of economic collapse. “The community is tired of suffering. It’s time to prioritize peace and let Tambura breathe again,” Yakani added.
In a call for action, the traders, traditional leaders, and civil society have jointly appealed to the Western Equatoria State government and national authorities to urgently restore peace, repair key roads, and stabilize the economy.
“Our only wish,” said Tito, “is for peace to return so that people can move, farm, and trade freely. Tombura deserves life again.”
Tombura County has endured months of armed clashes, displacements, and political tension, cutting it off from nearby counties such as Yambio and Wau. The ongoing instability has not only destroyed trade networks but also deepened humanitarian needs across the region, with many families depending on aid for survival.
