President Salva Kiir has issued a decree ordering cattle keepers to move all their livestock out of Greater Equatoria region.

Hundreds of thousands of cattle from Jonglei, Lakes and Warrap states are in the region.

Press Secretary in the office of President, Ateny Weak Ateny, says the decree is in response to the demand by Equatorian farmers.

The president issued the decree last evening.

Mr Ateny says the relocation of the cattle will reduce destruction of farms in Greater Equatoria. This often cause deadly clashes between the farming host communities and the herders.

He told Eye Radio’s Dawn show that the President has started relocating his cattle from Luri in Juba County.

““For the decree to have effect it has to have general applications; the President….has already started with himself,” Mr Ateny told Eye Radio.

Mr Ateny says pastoralists who violate the decree will be punished.