South Sudan's English Daily Newspaper
"We Dare where others fear"


By Jenifer James
Traders who have been evicted from Juba Market have accused the former Mayor, Michael Ladu Allah Jabu, of misappropriating funds meant to compensate them after their stalls were demolished to make way for Juba Mall’s construction.
The traders allege they were promised $200 each as compensation to sustain their businesses while the mall was under construction. They also said they were assured by city authorities of reclaiming their stalls once the project was completed.
Chairperson of the Juba Block Chamber of Commerce, Peter Lado said that funds promised to the affected traders have never been released since June 2023 when Allah Jabu was relieved from office.
“Since the former mayor’s removal, we have been asking city authorities to follow up on the compensation, but no clear information has been provided,” said Lado.
He demanded clarity from the government the whereabouts of the $201,600 allocated for the evicted traders.
“We met with city officials, and they told us the money was supposedly a donation. Will we ever return to the new mall or is this the end for us?” he asked.
Meanwhile, the representative of women traders, Christine Ruben Kosa, said their patience is running out as they wait for the elusive compensation from Juba city authorities.
“We’ve waited patiently for compensation, but nothing has happened. We didn’t oppose the mall’s construction, but where is the compensation money,” she said.
The traders called on the government to complete Juba Mall quickly and honor the promise of returning their stalls once the project is done.
In response to the accusations, the former Mayor of Juba City Council, Michael Ladu Allah Jabu denied any wrongdoing.
Allah Jabu explained that the Juba Mall project was part of the collaboration with the African Development Bank (AfDB) and the Food Agricultural Organization (FAO) to improve local economic conditions for city vendors.
Initially, the mall was to be built in Juba County, but a suitable site couldn’t be found, prompting its relocation to a city council-managed market near Bari Cultural Center.
To minimize the traders’ disruption, the council requested $201,600 from AfDB to compensate 168 registered vendors.
“I personally signed a request letter for the compensation on June 14, 2023,” said Allah Jabu.
However, just two weeks later, on June 29, 2023, Allah Jabu was removed from office.
“I don’t know if the compensation funds were ever disbursed to the traders after my removal, because I have never received any money before my removal,” he disclosed.