JUBA — A citywide vendor-clearance operation ordered by Juba City Mayor H.W. Chris Swaka has escalated into violence, with eyewitnesses reporting several fatalities during clashes between law enforcement officers and roadside traders early this morning.
The operation stemmed from a directive issued last week, instructing the removal of vendors from key commercial zones around Custom and Konyokonyo. City authorities said the move aimed to decongest internal roads, improve pedestrian and vehicle flow, open emergency access routes, and relocate traders to designated areas in an effort to enhance public safety and sanitation.
In preparation, the City Council deployed inspectors and law enforcement across the affected markets. Officials had appealed to traders and transport operators to cooperate, calling the exercise “necessary for restoring order and improving the city’s appearance.”
However, the situation spiraled when resistance from displaced vendors reportedly led to confrontations with enforcement units. Multiple witnesses claim that several vendors were killed in the chaos, though the exact number remains unverified.
According to information provided by Yel Nhial, Mayor Chris Swaka has been taken into custody as authorities investigate the circumstances surrounding the violence.
The City Council says normal market operations will resume once the clearance exercise is concluded and has pledged to update the public as more details emerge.
