Juba County traditional leaders pose for a photo at the local government board on Friday 27, October 2023. (Photo: Madrama James).

At least 25 traditional leaders in Juba have appealed to the national government to assist them with security personneland mobility means to facilitate their operations.

Alfred Loro Raymond, the Chief of Kator B Court said most of the traditional chiefs are not protected and are still footing while addressing community concerns.

Loro also said most of their courts are in dire need of security personnel such as police officers and detention centers.

“A chief is an administrator and judge at the same time. Meaning if you’re with civilians, you act as an administrator but when handling civil cases at the court, you automatically become the judge of that particular area,” Loro told Eye Radio.

“Therefore, am appealing to the national government to provide security and mobility to traditional leaders because some of these chiefs are footing.”

The two-day workshop was organized by women and Equity under the theme: “traditional leaders constitute in away the pillar and support of peaceful co-existence in the society.”

Yasmin Ahmed Khamis, the leader of Women and Equity Organization, which facilitated the workshop, said the event aims to find amicable solutions to address the challenges facing the chiefs.

“We decided to come-in under the umbrella of the local government board, to identify, organize and remain them [local government board] about the existing gaps in Juba County. I agree that we have chiefs, but these chiefs are not organized.”

Hillary John Longo, the Director for Planning and Budgeting in Central Equatoria State, also called on Local Government Board partners to extend training for traditional leaders to other counties in Central Equatoria state and the country at large.

“Our wish is that such workshops should continue and not remain only in Juba here. If there’s good mobilizations, they should call other chiefs who are out of Juba because Central Equatoria State consist of six counties. They’re chiefs in those locations who wants such these kind of awareness on traditional authorities.”

“Therefore, if there are possibilities and resources, those chiefs have to be called to attend these kinds of trainings. Because some traditional chiefs don’t know their roles. A chief can arise from nowhere and claim to be.”