South Sudan Map

JUBA, South Sudan (Eye Radio) — A South Sudanese researcher says he has the original colonial-era map detailing the border between South Sudan and Uganda, and he is ready to hand it over to the joint border committee to help resolve the long-standing dispute.

However, Dr. Charles Okeny Ben says he will only do so after a joint meeting with officials to explain the map’s historical context.

Dr. Okeny, who conducted extensive research on the boundary dispute, claims he recovered the map from a library in the United Kingdom. He believes it is the key to resolving the long-standing tensions that have led to military standoffs and civilian displacement.

“The conflict is ongoing because of a misunderstanding about where the boundary lies—neither country is certain,” Dr. Okeny stated during an interview on Eye Radio’s Sundown Show.

He claims to be able to pinpoint the exact boundary line between Kajo-Keji and Ngomoromo, as well as the route from Nimule to Lake Turkana, which he says he knows “point by point.”

The researcher says he has been withholding the map since 2016, when the joint border committee announced it would conduct its own research to find the colonial map.

Dr. Okeny says that nine years later, no progress has been made. “I’m ready to present this document at any time because I stand for justice,” he said.

Dr. Okeny has proposed a meeting in the border town of Nimule, where he would provide the committee with a full historical and political briefing on the boundary before releasing the map. He plans to publish his findings in a book after the committee has completed its work.

His research began in 2012 while he was writing his dissertation at the American University of Abuja in Nigeria.

He says he dedicated his time to finding a tangible solution to the boundary disputes, which he noted also affected the Madi and Acholi communities.

This announcement comes as a delegation from the International Conference on the Great Lakes Region (ICGLR) and its Expanded Joint Verification Mechanism (EJVM) concludes a fact-finding mission to de-escalate tensions along the border.

The delegation visited flashpoints, including Kajo-Keji, and met with local officials and displaced residents.

Kajo-Keji County Commissioner Wani Jackson Mule confirmed the visit, expressing hope that the ICGLR summit will lead to a binding resolution and the safe return of displaced families.

The dispute has long been complicated by unclear colonial boundaries and a lack of resources.

About the Researcher

Dr. Charles Okeny Ben is a South Sudanese researcher who has conducted extensive research on the colonial-era boundaries between South Sudan and Uganda. He conducted his research while a student at the American University of Abuja in Nigeria.