James Donald, the Chief of Jenderu area of Juba during an interview with Eye Radio - Credit | Amos Guya | Eye Radio | August 7, 2020

Residents of the Jonduru area in Juba have allocated a piece of land for building a police station.

This is after a number of women and girls were raped in the area, west of Juba recently.

Last month, residents there raised an alarm over what they called an increase in armed night robberies, rape, and killings.

Before Christmas, they called for the establishment of a police post fearing crime rates would increase during the festive season.

According to the area chief, Christmas has passed without major incidences.

But James Donald said there is a need to have a police post in the area to prevent future crimes.

“What we need is a police station, because we can’t do anything if something happened to us, we are just civilians but if there is a police station in the area, the criminals will fear,” said Chief Donald.

“A lot of boys have now become gangs, that is why I wish if the government is hearing my voice, let them bring the police here. We have a place for the police, but we don’t have the presence of the police.”

For her part, the area women leader, Marline Paulino told Eye Radio that from December 24, up to January 1, they spent peaceful nights.

“We, as women are suffering in South Sudan, but thank God, we celebrated the festive period this year peacefully. There was no rape, no looting at night in our area,” Marleen Polino said.

Mary Fozia, the deputy area chief of Jonduru says residents of Jonduru are hoping, the peaceful nights they had during Christmas, and New Year will continue.

“Police patrolling is what we need in Jonduru, before, you can’t stay out up to the morning, but, now I have spent my nights peacefully during Christmas,” said Mary.

“There was no fighting or looting. What we want is just this peaceful life to continue like that, not to end with Christmas.”

Police are mandated by the Transitional Constitution, to maintain law and order in the country.

President Salva Kiir in 2018 accused the police and other organized forces of being behind night robberies in Juba and other towns across the country.

Observers have attributed the crimes committed by soldiers and police officers to poor pay and the bad economy.