Uganda’s NBS journalist makes a false statement

Author: Emmanuel Bida and Garang Abraham

Uganda’s renowned media house has over the weekend run a false statement, regarding the distance between Uganda Elegu border town and South Sudan’s capital Juba, 211 Check investigation has found out. 

On Sunday, NBS Television – Uganda posted on its Facebook page quoting its journalist Daniel Lutaaya as saying that “the Ugandan drivers now have to drive for about 52 hours for a distance of 3,613 kilometers from Elegu to Juba”.

For identity purposes, Elegu is a Ugandan town situated between Uganda-South Sudan border area neighboring Nimule town. 

When 211 fact checked the above NBS statement, the fact checkers team found out the information is false and misleading.

According to South Sudan Ministry of Roads and Bridges officials, the distance between Juba and Nimule is 192 km. 

In addition, the Information from Wikipedia also gives the same distance as seen in the below link.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Juba%E2%80%93Nimule_Road

But, can that distance be covered in 52 hours (2 days and 4 hours) under the current circumstances as stated by NBS journalist?

211 Check contacted the Chairman of the Truck Drivers’ Association, David Kerote who said the distance between Elegu border and Juba is currently being covered in 4 hours’ time if long.

Findings by 211 Check also found out that the Journalist could have been misled by the following site that has provided similar details published by NBS Television as seen in the link below.

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To know about our fact-checking processes, check the link below, https://211check.org/how-to-fact-check/ or contact us via 211check.org to present a claim – our team will immediately fact-check it and send you immediate feedback.