By Pam Chuol Joack
There is a question the people of Gambella deserve to have answered: how many more public buses, private vehicles, bajajs and busbusgovernment vehicles must come under attack before the protection of civilians becomes an undeniable priority? Across Gambella Region, repeated reports of attacks on vehicles carrying ordinary passengers, workers, families and other travellers have raised serious concerns about the safety of movement, the effectiveness of security measures and the government’s ability to protect people going about their daily lives. When travelling between communities becomes a source of fear rather than an ordinary part of life, the problem can no longer be treated as a series of isolated incidents. It demands sustained public attention, credible investigations and a security response that produces tangible results.
The September 18, 2026, attack on vehicles travelling along the road connecting Gambella City with Abol and areas toward Itang and the Nuer Zone brought these concerns into sharp focus. Reports indicated that passengers travelling on public transport and occupants of other vehicles were among those affected. The incident was followed by serious concerns about movement along the route, with the road reportedly remaining largely closed a month later. The consequences extend beyond the immediate victims. When a major route becomes unsafe or inaccessible, residents can face difficulties reaching relatives, travelling for work, transporting goods and accessing essential services. Refugees, displaced families, traders and people living outside Gambella City may be particularly affected when transport links are disrupted.
The danger is not confined to public buses. Private vehicles, bajajs and government vehicles are also part of the wider security concern surrounding transportation in the region. Every attack on a civilian vehicle raises questions about whether passengers can travel safely, whether drivers can earn a living without putting their lives at risk and whether security arrangements adequately protect people on vulnerable roads. Bajaj operators and private drivers provide essential transport services in and around urban communities, while public buses connect people across longer distances. Government vehicles serve administrative, public-service and operational functions. Attacks affecting these different forms of transport can therefore disrupt both everyday life and the delivery of public services.
The human cost cannot be reduced to damaged vehicles, disrupted journeys or temporary road closures. Behind every reported attack are people whose lives may be lost, whose families may be left grieving, or whose physical and psychological well-being may be affected. Survivors may face lasting injuries, while drivers and passengers may become increasingly fearful of travelling even when movement is necessary. Businesses can suffer when goods and customers cannot move reliably, and families may delay medical visits or other essential journeys because they fear what could happen on the road. These consequences deserve serious consideration even when the full details of individual incidents remain under investigation.
Gambella has experienced security challenges for years, and the repeated reports of violence have placed a heavy burden on communities already dealing with uncertainty and displacement. Yet the continued threat to vehicles presents a particularly urgent test for the authorities because safe transportation is fundamental to public confidence. Residents should not have to calculate the possibility of an armed attack every time they board a bus, hire a bajaj or travel in a private car. Nor should drivers be forced to choose between earning a livelihood and exposing themselves and their passengers to risks that effective security measures should seek to reduce.
The responsibility of the regional administration, security institutions and relevant federal authorities is therefore substantial. Public assurances that the situation is improving are important, but they cannot substitute for evidence of progress. Authorities should explain what measures have been introduced to protect vulnerable routes, what progress has been made in investigating attacks, whether suspects have been identified through credible evidence and what steps are being taken to prevent further incidents. Where investigations are ongoing, the public deserves regular, accurate updates that respect due process without withholding essential information indefinitely. Where evidence supports prosecution, cases should proceed through lawful judicial channels.
The September 18 attack also raises a pressing question about the reported continued disruption of the Gambella City-Abol route. If the road remains largely closed or unsafe, affected communities need clear information about the reasons, the measures being taken to restore safe passage and the conditions required for reopening. A road cannot be considered effectively restored simply because authorities announce improved security. Its practical accessibility, the safety of travellers and the ability of communities to resume normal movement must all be considered. Any reopening decision should be based on credible security assessments rather than pressure to project a return to normality.
At the same time, accountability must be grounded in evidence rather than ethnic suspicion or collective blame. Allegations concerning the identity or affiliation of attackers should be investigated carefully, and those responsible should be identified as individuals through credible evidence. No community should be held collectively responsible for crimes committed by particular people. Such restraint is not a weakness in confronting insecurity; it is essential to preventing further division and ensuring that the pursuit of justice does not become another source of violence.
The authorities must also recognize that public confidence is built through consistent action. Effective investigations, transparent communication, protection of vulnerable transport routes and lawful accountability can help demonstrate that attacks on civilians will not be ignored. Cooperation among regional and federal security institutions, local administrations and communities is important, but community members should not be expected to carry the burden of security without meaningful institutional support. Residents can provide information and cooperate with lawful investigations; the responsibility for organizing and implementing effective public security measures remains with the appropriate authorities.
For Gambella Vision, the central issue is not whether officials can convene meetings, issue statements or promise lasting peace. It is whether people can travel without facing repeated threats to their lives. The public deserves a clear account of the measures being taken to protect passengers, drivers, traders and other road users, alongside credible information about investigations and the restoration of disrupted routes. These are practical responsibilities, not merely public-relations questions.
Gambella cannot build lasting peace while fear continues to shape how its people travel, work and maintain contact with one another. Safe roads are not a luxury, and civilian protection should not depend on where a person lives, which community they belong to or whether they are travelling in a public bus, private car, bajaj or government vehicle. Every civilian life carries equal value, and every credible report of an attack deserves serious attention.
The question remains: how many more vehicles must be attacked, and how many more civilians must suffer, before the people of Gambella can travel with confidence that their safety is being protected? The public deserves more than repeated assurances. It deserves a sustained security response, transparent accountability and measurable progress toward making the region’s roads safe again.
This article is Prepared by Pam Chuol Joack, a contributor to Gambella Vision and analyst specializing in Gambella affairs.
