Governor Emmanuel and Louis Lobong during questioning by Council of States on 27.04.2022.

The governors of Eastern and Central Equatoria have recommended the enactment of a legal framework to regulate the movement of cattle keepers in the states.

Governor Emmanuel Adil and Louis Lobong made the appeal during questioning by the Council of States to explain insecurity related to herders in the region on Wednesday .

Responding to inquiries by the lawmakers, Governor Louis Lobong of Eastern Equatoria State suggested the need to enact laws to address the frictions between farmers and the pastoralists.

“In order to avoid clashes between cattle keepers and the predominantly farming communities as well as between different cattle keeping communities, there is a need to establish a legal framework to guide the movement of cattle in South Sudan,” he said.

He also emphasized on the need to strengthen law enforcement agencies for effective curtailing of conflict situations in the states.

“The organized forces in the States are poorly equipped. They lack the logistics needed for robust and effective interventions. Therefore I plead with you to lobby for a security fund to be allocated to the States to help them equip and prepare the organized forces for urgent response to security situations,” Governor Lobong stated.

Tensions have reportedly continued following the incidents between cattle keepers and the host communities.

Last week, herders and the host communities clashed in the areas of Abara, Ayii, Kit and Agoro-Somboro in Magwi County leaving scores dead and hundreds of others displaced.

“The presence of such laws and proper sensitization of our citizens will be of great importance in preventing clashes between different communities,” Lobong added.

For his part, Emmanuel Adil Anthony who is the governor of Central Equatoria state echoed the remarks of Louise Lobong.

‘The enactment of laws to regulate the movement of cattle across the State is one of the steps we believe will significantly mitigate the recurring cattle related conflicts.”

Adil said the security forces need logistical support to help particularly in the evacuation of the herders and to regulate the movement of the herders.

“Inadequate financial support from the national government to provide logistics for the forces engaged in the cattle evacuation exercise.”

Conflict between farmers and cattle keepers in some parts of the Equatoria region remains a major security concern.

In the recent years, there have been reports of cattle grazing uncontrollably on farmlands, destroying precious food crops cultivated by settled communities in areas like Pageri, Abara, Agoro, Omeyo, Ayii, Nyolo, and parts of western Torit County.

This is in defiance of a 2015 order by President Salva Kiir for the evacuation of cattle from the Equatoria region.

A committee was set up to ensure that the animals were returned to their respective states, but these have not been implemented due to unclear reasons.

When asked why the presidential orders for the evacuation of cattle from the Equatoria region were not effected, the Minister for Presidential Affairs, Dr. Barnaba Marial Benjaminhe argued that the two orders were implemented.

“Honorable Speaker, my answer is, they have been implemented. Whether they have followed up to the right conclusions is another thing but the implementation was there and I gave you one example of one of our citizens who responded to the order and took his cattle where they should be,” he said.

Marial also concurred with the governors’ call for laws regulating movement of cattle in designated farmlands.

However, on Monday, authorities of Mugali Payam in Eastern Equatoria’s Magwi County decried displacement of the natives due continued harassment allegedly by herders in the area.  

Cattle keepers, the local authorities described as “Illegal IDPs”, allegedly attacked Avumadrici area, allegedly abducting and raping a 13-year old girl last week.

In a written statement, the area leaders said residents are still experiencing unprecedented violence including looting of their properties.

They noted that the settlers went on rampage immediately after the recent visit of the Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs, Deng Dau, and UN agencies to the area.