(TORIT) – The mayor of Torit Municipal Council in Eastern Equatoria State has ordered all traders in the town to immediately reduce commodity prices by 4%, warning that those who fail to comply risk losing their trading licences.
The decision was announced on Wednesday during a meeting between Mayor Oyito Baptist and local wholesalers.
Mayor Baptist accused traders of increasing food prices without authorisation from the government, describing the practice as illegal and damaging to the public.
He said that blaming factors such as exchange rates or supply issues in regional markets like Kampala, Uganda, is not an acceptable excuse for unregulated price hikes.
“Unnecessary price hikes on food items without informing or requesting the government are unacceptable,” the mayor said. “Anyone found raising prices without approval will have their licence revoked and will not be allowed to conduct business within Torit.”
The mayor also announced the formation of a special market monitoring team to ensure that traders follow the new pricing directive. This team will carry out inspections and enforce the mandated reduction across markets in the municipality.
The order comes amid a steep rise in the cost of basic food items in Torit. For example, the price of maize flour has increased from 175,000 South Sudanese Pounds (SSP) (approximately $38.04) to 230,000 SSP (approximately $50.00) in recent weeks. This spike has placed additional pressure on households already struggling with economic challenges.
However, traders have pushed back, saying they are not responsible for the price rises. They argued that the cost of importing goods from neighbouring countries like Uganda, Kenya, and even as far as Dubai, has risen significantly due to high taxes and increasing transportation costs.
Taban Richard, a trader in Torit, told Radio Tamazuj that the current economic conditions have made it nearly impossible to maintain low prices.
“We don’t want high prices. Even my own family is affected, but with taxes and transport costs, we’re barely breaking even,” he said.
Similarly, Hidita Lily, the chairperson of the Eastern Equatoria State Chamber of Commerce, warned that forcing traders to reduce prices without first addressing cross-border tax burdens could disrupt the local supply chain. She said that many businesses are already operating at a loss.
“Unless the government works to lower import duties and other costs at the border, it will be very hard for prices to go down in a sustainable way,” Lily said.
Traders and business representatives are urging the government to consider wider tax reforms and infrastructure support to make price controls viable.
As of now, enforcement measures are being prepared, but no licences have yet been revoked. It remains to be seen how the local market will react in the coming days.
