South Sudanese Students Arrested in Uganda: Embassy Assures Commitment to Serve

Kampala- In response to a viral video circulating on social media, the Embassy of the Republic of South Sudan in Kampala, Uganda, took immediate action to address the arrest of South Sudanese students by the Uganda Police on Friday, February 2nd, 2024.

Following the incident, Immigration Chief Brig. Gen. Majok Peter Majok from the South Sudanese Embassy in Kampala reached out to relevant authorities on Saturday to investigate the reason behind the arrests. It was discovered that fifteen South Sudanese students had been apprehended by immigration police near the International University of East Africa (IUEA) gym.

Fortunately, four of the students were found to possess valid refugee ID cards and were released without delay. However, the remaining eleven students were taken to the Namanve industrial area detention facility. Brig. Gen. Majok paid a consular visit to the facility on Saturday, February 3rd, 2024, and advised the students to request their colleagues at the hostels to send their necessary documents.

After thorough examination, ten out of the eleven students were found to possess valid passports and visas, leading to their immediate release on the same evening. Unfortunately, one female student, who happened to be the spouse of one of the detained students, was found without valid documents and remained at the detention facility.

In light of these events, H.E. Amb. Simon Juach Deng, the South Sudanese Ambassador to Uganda, urges South Sudanese students in the Republic of Uganda to process student passes. The government of Uganda has graciously waived the associated fees for this process. Additionally, the Embassy appeals to all South Sudanese residing in Uganda to respect the laws of the host state by validating their visas to legalize their stay.

Amb. Simon Juach Deng emphasized the Embassy’s commitment to serving all South Sudanese citizens, stating, “The Embassy seizes this opportunity to assure all South Sudanese of our commitment to serving you.”

The Embassy of the Republic of South Sudan in Kampala continues to work diligently to ensure the safety and well-being of South Sudanese nationals in Uganda, and encourages cooperation with local authorities to maintain a harmonious relationship between the two nations.