Kenyans travelling to Juba in South Sudan will no longer get visas on arrival as was the norm.
This new directive comes as Juba restrategized on her visa application in a bid to collect more revenue. This will not be done online.
Juba expects to net more revenues and also seal loopholes for misappropriation and embezzlement of funds.
South Sudan’s Deputy Foreign Affairs Minister Deng Dau Deng said this will promote transparency and accountability.
“This is just a normal routine; the Embassy in Nairobi will be issuing visas to those who are in need of entering South Sudan. There is also an E-Visa they can get through an online application. So it is just a normal procedure not specific to Kenyan natives,” he stated according to Business Daily.
Deng added that Juba is going with times as many countries across the world have shifted to e-Visa.
“Most of the countries of the world are trying to move away from these [ordinary] visas being issued on arrival or providing stickers,” he said.
South Sudan’s Civil Aviation Authority according to reports had not been remitting funds to the government despite Juba International Airport being a transport hub.
An audit of the aviation authority was called for by Crisis Management Committee which is in charge of fixing South Sudan’s economy.
The audit revealed that revenue collected from immigration-related operations such as money for visas issued on arrival was never remitted to the National Treasury.
Onyito Adigo who is heading the Crisis Management Committee estimated millions of Sudanese pounds to have been embezzled.
The situation spiralled to a point where staff at Juba International Airport went for months without salaries. A strike followed disrupting domestic and international travel.
