By Mike Rwothomio 

Operations at the Uganda Revenue Authority’s major Padea border post have been brought to a standstill following a truck accident that has blocked the main access route, disrupting cross-border trade flows between Uganda and DR Congo.

Local leaders are urgently calling for intervention after a Congolese truck destined for DR Congo overturned on Thursday, April 30, at Gira village in Serr Parish, Abanga Sub-County.

The incident has severely hampered commercial traffic at the Padea border point, one of the key customs posts facilitating regional trade.

By Saturday, May 2, hundreds of trucks, carrying goods from Ugandan, Congolese, and Kenyan operators remained queued along the stretch from Acana through Gira, Jupujuru, Got Landi, and Jupaloza villages, with no immediate way forward or backward.

According to eyewitness accounts, the first truck (registration CGO 5445AA07) overturned on Thursday afternoon, narrowing the already challenging road.

A second Congolese truck (registration CGO 2671AC07), fully loaded with cargo, then got stuck in a muddy section while trying to squeeze through, completely sealing the route, adding to the gridlock.

Samson Jagen, LCI Secretary for Gira village, described the mounting losses for truck drivers and traders and criticized the delayed response.

“The road is a major revenue-generating route for the Uganda Revenue Authority at the Padea Border point,” Jagen said.

“We appeal that they work on this road. Hundreds of trucks have been stranded here since Thursday with no action taken. Since the district says the road is not under their jurisdiction, they should forward this matter to the central government.”

Justine Oryem, Councillor-elect for Serr Parish, noted that the spot has become a recurring bottleneck, with similar truck incidents recently blocking the road for days.

Douglas Rupiny, District Councillor for Padea Town Council, joined the calls for urgent repairs to the rapidly deteriorating section in Gira village.

Persistent heavy rains in Zombo District have exacerbated conditions, making the road slippery and largely impassable for heavy cargo vehicles critical to the Uganda-DR Congo trade corridor.

Many truck drivers have voiced frustration over the prolonged gridlock and appealed for swift action to restore efficient traffic movement.

Meanwhile, some local youths have turned the situation into a modest income stream, using hoes and spades to clear mud for fees ranging from UGX 500 to 1,000 and above.

The 14km Okeyo-Pakadha-Padea road, which serves as the primary feeder to the border post, underwent significant rehabilitation by the Ministry of Works and Transport in 2022. However, heavy international truck traffic has caused sections to deteriorate quickly in recent months.

During a 2022 inspection, former UNRA Executive Director Allen Kagina, together with local leaders and Ora County MP Songa Biyika Lawrence, inspected the road, with local leaders pushing for its classification as a national route due to its strategic importance for revenue collection at the Padea One Stop Border Post.

Zombo LCV Chairperson James Oruna Oyulu confirmed he received reports of the stranded trucks on Saturday morning.

In the district’s draft 2026/27 budget, authorities have set aside UGX 1.8 billion for the Works and Engineering department, with provisions for major rehabilitation of the Ayuda-Padea road and other key links.

District leaders have long advocated for the road’s upgrade to the national network, citing the substantial volume of international cargo traffic it supports through the Padea border point.

Some of the stranded trucks

Mike Rwothomio is the News Editor at Zoomer Africa, your trusted grassroots information hub for African stories, voices, and updates.