TRADERS PUSH FOR RE-OPENING OF BORDER MARKET CITING ECONOMIC HARDSHIP

Odramacaku border market booming across Democratic Republic of Congo side following its closure on Ugandan side (All photos by Onzoma Albert).

By Onzoma Albert

Arua City

Traders at the Odramacaku border market near the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) border in Arua City are demanding the full reopening of the market following prolonged closures linked to Ebola prevention measures. Despite Uganda being declared Ebola-free on July 28, 2026, the Ugandan Ministry of Health has maintained restrictions on border markets, including Odramacaku, due to a resurgence and ongoing spread of Ebola cases in five provinces in the neighboring DRC. This has caused frustration among vendors, who protested and showed hostility to local leaders during a recent visit.

Traders such as Esau Juruni, a livestock trader and former LC 1 Chairman of Nunu Cell, argue that the closure is unfair, especially as the Congolese side of the market remains operational.

“Since the market was closed over outbreak of Ebola we livestock and other traders have been severely affected, my humble request to the ministry of health on behalf of the vendors is that let them do for us a favor by re-opening the market since Uganda has been declared Ebola free,” he said.

Bernard Opia, another trader, highlighted that livelihoods have been severely impacted by the closure drastically reducing sales since most of their customers are Congolese.

“Paying trading license in this financial year will be very hard for us because the year has already been affected on our side for the last three months since the market was closed we have not been working as usual, we are appealing to the ministry of health to look into our issue so that we continue to operate with them without any much challenges,” he said.

Uganda Police Force patrol vehicle patrolling the porous border point between Uganda and Democratic Republic of Congo at Odramacaku.

Emmanuel Ainebyoona, Ministry of Health Senior Public Relations Officer confirmed that a risk assessment is underway and will be submitted to the National Ebola Taskforce to inform decisions on reopening border markets.

“There are plans to present the risk assessment to enable the national Ebola taskforce to make decision on the reopening of border markets, let our people remain patient as we all wait for the final decision from the national Ebola task force concerning the reopening of border markets since they are the ones who closed the border markets,” he said.

Meanwhile, tensions have escalated locally, including a recent violent clash where traders attacked Ayivu Division leaders attempting to enforce health protocols.

Uganda contained its own local outbreak after 20 confirmed cases, 15 of which involved Congolese nationals crossing the border. The outbreak in the DRC started in Ituri Province but has since expanded to four additional provinces, posing continued risk for reopening.

In response, the Ministry of Health has deployed enhanced surveillance teams to high-risk border points, and bilateral talks between Uganda and the DRC presidents aim to establish harmonized cross-border Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) for a safe, structured resumption of trade.

The closure has devastated local traders by cutting off cross-border cash flow, disrupting supplies, and pushing families into financial hardship. Originally implemented to curb Ebola’s spread from eastern DRC, these restrictions have caused widespread protests and frustration in the business community.

Written by newsroom-radiopacis