Tension as frustrated Congolese impound 18 Ugandan motorcycles

By Mike Rwothomio

Ticked off the Congolese community from Mahagi Port in DRC has impounded 18 motorcycles belonging to Ugandans from Pakwach district.

The 18 motorcycles all belong to the fishing community of Dei sub-county Pakwach district

The Ugandans had traveled to DRC for business.

The incident came shortly after a Congolese businessman riding on a motorcycle knocked and badly injured a Ugandan in Parombo sub-county Nebbi district last week in which he was arrested and released by officers from Parombo police station,  whilst his motorcycle was detained to aid in the ongoing investigation local leaders say.

Ugandans from Dei subcounty Pakwach district also retaliated and impounded a total of 6  DRC motorcycles.

As tension escalated, An emergency meeting was fore_gathered between local Authorities,boda boda riders, and businessmen from both sides at a no man’s land along the Uganda_DRC border to tackle the situation.

The LC3 chairperson of the Dei subcounty Lawrence Alithum said it was the local leaders’ intervention from both countries that cleared the situation yesterday.

 He has strongly condemned the community’s actions of taking laws into their own hands.

” Congolese impounded 18 Ugandan motorcycles in Mahagi Port in DRC after their citizen was arrested in Parombo sub county when he knocked someone there. Ugandans also impounded 6 of their Motorcycles. We later intervened with local leaders from both sides and resolved the matter and Motorcycles were exchanged” He explained

What is becoming a center of discussion Amongst  Authorities in greater Nebbi is that Ugandan motorcycles are being impounded by locals in DRC instead of the authorities.

The Chairperson Dei boda boda association said after the crisis was resolved, they had a separate reconciliation talk with their Congolese counterparts and agreed to do things as per the law.

Congolese and Ugandan Authorities met over the weekend and resolved the crisis that had paralyzed businesses for days between the two states.

This practice of impounding motorcycles between Ugandans and Congolese is becoming a norm along the Uganda_DR Congo border in greater as was witnessed last week were Ugandans in Nebbi district also retaliated by impounding 10 motorcycles after Congolese impounded 4 Ugandan motorcycles.

Last year, 14 motorcycles belonging to Ugandans from the Zombo district were also impounded by Congolese in the Awasi market after URA impounded two of their unregistered motorcycles.