Eastern Equatoria State has been regrettably cut off from the capital, Juba following the collapse of the critical Lolere Bridge.
The bridge is a key transport artery linking the state to central South Sudan and neighboring countries such as Kenya.
The disconnection has created a severe traffic impasse, stranding trucks transporting goods and forcing drivers to navigate treacherous water streams.
The disruption has paralyzed trade and the free movement of people from most parts of Eastern Equatoria and the rest of the country.
During a site visit to the damaged bridge on Monday, Governor Louis Lobong Lojore described the situation as dire and called on the national Ministry of Roads and Bridges to respond swiftly to restore the vital infrastructure.
“We are standing at Lolere Bridge, one of the bridges linking Torit and Juba. This bridge got broken last month. The State Ministry of Roads and Bridges made an assessment and forwarded it to the National Ministry of Roads and Bridges in Juba, but up to today, there has been no feedback,” Governor Lobong stated.
He stressed the strategic importance of the Lolere Bridge not only for domestic connectivity but also for international trade, as the highway serves as a critical corridor to Kenya and Ethiopia through three major border entry points.
“This is the highway linking Juba to the borders of Kenya and Ethiopia. I am appealing again to the Ministry of Roads and Bridges to urgently intervene so that goods and people can move again,” he emphasized.
Governor Lobong also expressed concern over the disparity in tax collection and road maintenance responsibilities, highlighting that while the National Revenue Authoritycollects taxes along this route, the state is left without adequate resources or authority to address infrastructure failures.
“All these vehicles pass through this road, and the state doesn’t even tax them a single 10 pounds—it’s all taxed by the national government. Therefore, when there is such a situation, they should come in and maintain the road so we can continue collecting revenue and facilitating movement,”Lobong reiterated.
The collapse of the Lolere Bridge comes at a time when South Sudan is working to strengthen regional trade and infrastructure especially with the Juba-Torit-Nadapal higwaybeing key part of that initiative.
Meanwhile prolonged inaction could have far-reaching economic and humanitarian consequences for Eastern Equatoria and beyond.