Decade-Long Wait Nears End
Heavy machinery rumbled across the Yei-Lasu road this week as county officials flagged off works on Wuluturu Bridge, idle since its collapse in 2014. The span once again promises to knit together villages severed by monsoon floods and bureaucratic delays.
Economic Pulse of Yei River County
Commissioner Emmanuel Taban Seme told reporters that reliable transport is the oxygen of rural trade. He expects farm produce, timber and charcoal to reach Yei markets faster, lifting weekly revenues already edging upward after tax reforms.
Roads chief Richard Lugala Godo added that the corridor stretches toward the Democratic Republic of Congo border, positioning Yei as a gateway for legal cross-border commerce once security checkpoints stabilise.
Local Revenue at Work
Taban stressed that every South Sudanese pound collected at the Ronyi market is cycling back into concrete, steel and skilled labour. ‘The taxes are now visible,’ he said, citing recent repairs of Kanjoro Bridge as proof that county-driven projects can beat donor fatigue.
Timeline and Technical Challenges
Engineers have vowed to finish the 24-metre span within three months, weather permitting. Executive Director Hillary John Konga reminded contractors that missing the deadline could strand schoolchildren during the August rains, a reputational risk no firm can afford.
Initial soil tests revealed minor scouring under the original pillars; engineers plan to add gabions and a higher deck to handle heavier trucks without sacrificing flood clearance.
Voices from the Community
Head Chief Justin Dicko called the rehabilitation ‘a handshake between government and citizens’, noting that pregnant women once trekked four hours to reach Yei Civil Hospital.
Elder Sanya James believes an open bridge will deter cattle raiders by allowing faster police deployment, while traders anticipate stable tomato prices now that trucks need not detour through muddy bush tracks.
Regional Outlook
Analysts at the Sudd Institute argue that local infrastructure spending, though modest, sends a positive signal to Juba and foreign investors watching Central Equatoria’s stability metrics.
If Wuluturu Bridge meets its deadline, policymakers may replicate the financing model across other counties, gradually stitching together South Sudan’s fragmented hinterlands.