Western Equatoria Governor Alfred Futuyo Karaba speaks to the media alongside Mundri East and West Commissioners. (Photo/Western Equatoria News/Faceook).

Western Equatoria State government has given cattle herders a two-week ultimatum to leave Mundri East and West counties and return to their places of origin in the neighboring states.

Governor Alfred Futuyo Karaba visited Mundri West on Monday and met the commissioner and local chiefs on the situation.

Futuro said the herders, armed with AK-47 and heavy machineguns, have driven thousands of herds in the state.

The governor called for their immediate withdrawal, warning that failure to comply will prompt the state security force to chase the cattle away from the Amadi region.

“Right now, in greater Amadi, a lot of cattle arrived here with a lot of herders, with a lot of guns. The only guns that they do not have are the one that can be carried using planes,” Futuyo said.

“Previously I talk like that, if this situation continues for ten years or five years, will the Moru people live here again? They will not live here. That’s why we decided Dinka Bor cattle must leave the area and go back peacefully within fourteen days.”

Governor Futuyo said the cattle herders entered the state last year and almost engaged in fighting with local youth before he intervened and deescalated the situation.     

On her part, the Commissioner of Mundri West County, Zilpha Dawa, said the state authorities will mobilize resources to facilitate the return of the cattle herders.

“All cows must go back to their origin places, we are here to support it under the leadership of the governor, and we are going to do it only in fourteen days,” she said.

“We want to see that we give logistics, and we give everything so that they start also move peacefully, we don’t see into that we enter into conflict with them.”

Disputes between cattle keepers and local farmers have been a significant cause of inter-communal conflict in Greater Equatoria region in recent years, according to experts.