Driving at Night in Juba Overcoming Challenges

By Majur Chol Khor

Driving at night in Juba can be a challenging experience, especially when faced with language barriers. It’s unfortunate that speaking Dinka has become a prerequisite for a stress-free journey, overshadowing the importance of carrying legal documents like a logbook, driving license, or official working ID.

While I take pride in my Dinka heritage, it’s unreasonable to expect all 64 tribes to learn the language solely for their safety on the roads at night.

The majority of deployed security officers in Juba are native speakers, which shouldn’t be a problem in itself. However, it’s crucial that they maintain professionalism by communicating with road users in the official language, English, or the national language, Arabic.

Personally, I have encountered numerous challenges when driving at night, especially when rushing to my news anchoring duties. Despite presenting my professional working ID, some officers still demanded money.

On one occasion, near Nyakuruon, I had to assert my authority as someone responsible for reading presidential decrees. It took some convincing before the officer finally let me go, but not before I had to threaten to report him.

Interestingly, the most disciplined officers during joint operations at night have been the NS officers. One of them, sensing the problem, approached me and asked for an explanation. After showing my professional working ID, he promptly apologized and allowed me to continue, acknowledging that we are all serving the nation.

As you enjoy December with it own challenges, particularly Christmas and new year’s celebration, I urge all South Sudanese, especially those in uniforms, to treat each other with respect and dignity, whether it’s during nighttime or daytime driving. We are all South Sudanese, regardless of our geographical locations and languages. My language should not serve as a substitute for my logbook or driving license. It’s crucial for security officers to use official languages when carrying out their duties.

Writer✍
Majur Chol Khor
South Sudanese
Multi-Media Awards~Winning Journalist | Public Relations Specialist | Documentary Expert|Author|
📧 majurcholkhor@gmail.com