A South Sudanese local government official has denied reports that foreign nationals were ordered to leave Juba within seven days, after remarks restricting foreigners from operating small-scale retail businesses triggered concern among traders.
Juba County Caretaker Commissioner Kalisto Lado said he had not ordered foreigners to leave Juba or South Sudan, arguing that he does not have the legal mandate to deport or evacuate foreign nationals.
Lado said South Sudan remains open to foreigners who are legally in the country, but maintained that small-scale retail businesses should be reserved for South Sudanese citizens.
His clarification came after remarks he made during an inspection and clean-up exercise at Kubri Haboba Market in Juba on October 5, 2026.
During the visit, Lado said foreigners should not operate businesses such as selling chapati, tomatoes, onions and other small retail goods, or work as motorcycle taxi, commonly known as boda boda, operators.
He instead urged foreign investors to move into wholesale trade, companies, factories and other larger-scale ventures that could create employment opportunities for South Sudanese.
Lado argued that allowing foreigners to dominate small-scale retail businesses could deny South Sudanese women and young people opportunities to earn a living.
The commissioner has previously taken a similar position on foreign participation in small-scale businesses.
According to recent reporting, Lado made comparable calls in 2021 while serving as Juba City mayor, urging foreigners to leave retail trade and instead concentrate on wholesale businesses, factories and larger investments.
The latest dispute began after a video of Lado’s remarks at Kubri Haboba Market circulated widely on social media.
His comments were interpreted by some as an order for foreign traders to leave Juba, prompting reports that foreigners had been given seven days to leave.
Lado has since rejected that interpretation.
He said the reports were false and stressed that a county commissioner does not have the authority to expel foreign nationals from South Sudan.
He maintained, however, that his position remains that foreigners should stay out of small-scale retail trade while being allowed to participate in larger commercial ventures.
Foreign traders affected
The proposed restrictions could affect traders from several countries who operate businesses in Juba, including Ugandans, Kenyans, Ethiopians, Eritreans and Burundians.
Ugandan traders have been particularly prominent in Juba’s commercial sector. Reporting by Daily Monitor found that Ugandan traders had received verbal notices concerning restrictions on foreign participation in retail trade, although no formal written directive had been issued at the time.
Two major Juba markets, Konyo Konyo and Gumbo, have also historically had significant Ugandan ownership, while much of the food and other merchandise sold in the markets has been supplied from Uganda.
This means the proposed restrictions could have implications beyond individual traders, particularly for supply chains between Uganda and South Sudan.
The issue is not new
Tensions over foreign traders and the role they play in South Sudan’s economy have existed for years.
In 2016, traders in Yei petitioned authorities over what they described as foreign dominance of local trade. The petition cited traders from Uganda, Ethiopia, Kenya, Eritrea and Sudan and called for greater protection of South Sudanese businesses.
Ugandan traders have also faced serious insecurity during periods of conflict in South Sudan.
Uganda’s Ministry of Trade reported in 2016 that Ugandan businesses had been affected by violence in South Sudan, including during the fighting that began in 2013 and renewed violence in Juba in 2016. The ministry advised Ugandan traders to exercise caution amid the conflict.
The latest dispute therefore comes against a longer history of tension surrounding foreign participation in South Sudan’s economy.
Part of a wider East African debate
The controversy is also unfolding amid a broader debate across the East African Community (EAC) over foreign nationals operating small-scale businesses.
South Sudan’s restrictions come shortly after Kenya intensified enforcement against foreigners operating certain small businesses.
President William Ruto had directed authorities to crack down on foreigners operating small-scale businesses without complying with immigration and business requirements. The move generated debate among EAC countries over the balance between protecting local employment and maintaining regional integration.
Tanzania has also previously restricted foreign nationals from participating in certain retail activities, adding to concerns about the practical limits of the EAC’s ambitions for free movement and regional trade.
South Sudan’s position is particularly significant because the country is heavily dependent on regional trade routes and maintains strong commercial links with neighbouring Uganda and Kenya.
A recent EastAfrican report also highlighted broader concerns among traders and transporters about trade barriers in South Sudan, including registration and entry requirements affecting people from EAC countries.
No formal expulsion order confirmed
Despite the reports circulating online, there is currently no confirmed order from the South Sudanese national government directing foreigners to leave the country.
Lado has specifically denied issuing such an order and said foreigners who comply with South Sudanese law remain welcome.
The immediate question, however, is whether the proposed restriction on foreign participation in small-scale retail businesses will become a formal policy, how it would be enforced and what impact it could have on traders and cross-border commerce.
For now, Lado’s comments have reignited an old debate in South Sudan: how to protect economic opportunities for citizens while maintaining the regional trade and movement of people that underpin much of East Africa’s commerce.
