A Sudanese man smokes a water-pipe at a market in the provisional southern Sudanese capital of Juba in 2006 (AFP)

The Supervisor of Juba City Council has issued an order banning the sale of shisha and tea in open squares during late evening hours over allegations of “prostitution” and insecurity concerns.

The order issued on Thursday by Martin Simon Wani, Chief Executive Officer of the municipal council said the business activities must not operate beyond 10:00 p.m.

He warned violators of a fine not exceeding 50,000 South Sudanese pounds, closure of premises, and confiscation of utensils.

Mr. Wani ordered officials of the three city blocks and security organs of the City Council to enforce the by-law with immediate effect.

When asked why, Wani told Eye Radio, that the order is a response to security concerns and immoral practices during the late-night activities.

He added that the Council is also attempting to limit the consumption of shisha following the long-term health effects of its smoking.

“We are receiving a lot of complaints from the people about this bussiness of the tea in the open places, people walk in some of these places up to midnight or even nearly in the morning,” he said.

“It becomes our source of insecurity even to the people, so people say city council must do something about it, so we discussed this in our security meeting.”

“Sometimes when people are closing their shops and see them opening their business and it became now and connected with this business and promotion of prostitution.”

“They say this where people start messing up, and people say no let’s control this thing and then we have also a report of sometimes the killing of people by unknown in town in this open spaces.”