The Ugandan Embassy in South Sudan last Friday commenced a general registration exercise for its nationals across Eastern Equatoria State.

The exercise which will last a week aims at ascertaining the number of Ugandans in the state and how best the embassy can help them with consular services, including issuing valid travel documents.

Moses Sanza, the chairperson of the Ugandan community in Eastern Equatoria said embassy officials started registration in Torit and will move to Kapoeta.

“The exercise is going on. Officials from the Ugandan embassy came to register all Ugandan business people residing in Eastern Equatoria State,” Sanza said. “The exercise started here (Torit) and then they will be proceeding to Kapoeta. The main aim of registering Ugandans is to know their number.”

“The embassy has plans for their people so they should have statistics such that they can plan. Magwi and Nimule have not yet been handled,” he added.

Sanza urged Ugandans to embrace the exercise and go register because many do not have valid travel and identification documents which can affect their stay in South Sudan.

Colonel John Kasara, the acting director of immigration in Eastern Equatoria State, confirmed the exercise and urged all Ugandans to register in order to legalize their stay.

“They (Ugandan officials) came on the 19 April and they wrote a letter to the minister of foreign affairs and that letter was forwarded to the police leadership which forwarded to our institution, CID and the Professional Standards Unit,” Col. Kasara said. “They explained to us their issue and we told them to continue with their work after receiving an okay from Juba.”

He said the immigration department faces some challenges with foreigners.

“There is the East African Community Protocol on free movement and we in the immigration department have a problem with especially Ugandans and Kenyans who enter South Sudan without legal documents. They should come with legal documents,” Col. Kasara said.